Staphylococcus aureus and S. epidermidis are major causes of infection related to biofilm formed on indwelling medical devices. Such infections are common causes of morbidity and mortality and, because of biofilm resistance to antibiotics, are difficult to treat. The RNAIII-inhibiting peptide (RIP) (YSPWTNF-NH2) inhibits the pathogenesis of staphylococci by disrupting bacterial cell-cell commun...

Vancomycin has been used for decades to treat serious systemic gram positive infections. Extensive use over time has demonstrated vancomycin is not nephrotoxic even when used in high dosage, i.e., twice the usual dose. Since vancomycin is not nephrotoxic, there is no rationale for dosing vancomycin based on serum vancomycin levels. Since vancomycin is eliminated by GFR, vancomycin dosing should...

Staphylococci are a major health threat because of increasing resistance to antibiotics. An alternative to antibiotic treatment is preventing virulence by inhibition of bacterial cell-to-cell communication using the quorum-sensing inhibitor RNAIII-inhibiting peptide (RIP). In this work, we identified 2',5-di-O-galloyl-d-hamamelose (hamamelitannin) as a nonpeptide analog of RIP by virtual screen...

Haemostatic balance shifts towards pro-coagulation during infection. Plasminogen, a key molecule of fibrinolysis, may play an important role in the pathogenesis of staphylococcal infections. In the present study, we assessed the impact of inhibition of plasminogen activation by tranexamic acid on the course of staphylococcal sepsis and septic arthritis in mice. We found significantly down-regul...

Preterm infants are especially susceptible to late-onset sepsis that is often due to Gram-positive bacterial infections resulting in substantial morbidity and mortality. Herein, we will describe neonatal innate immunity to Staphylococcus spp. comparing differences between preterm and full-term newborns with adults. Newborn innate immunity is distinct demonstrating diminished skin integrity, imp...

IgG4 responses are considered indicative for long-term or repeated exposure to particular antigens. Therefore, studying IgG4-specific antibody responses against Staphylococcus aureus might generate new insights into the respective host-pathogen interactions and the microbial virulence factors involved. Using a bead-based flow cytometry assay, we determined total IgG (IgGt), IgG1, and IgG4 antib...

This article discusses common bacterial skin infections, including impetigo, cellulitis and erysipelas folliculitis, staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome, blistering distal dactylitis, furuncles and carbuncles, and pseudomonal infections such as external otitis and malignant external otitis, ecthyma gangrenosum, pseudomonal folliculitis, toe web infection, and erysipeloid.

The Panton-Valentine leukocidin is associated with staphylococcal skin and pulmonary infections. We describe a school outbreak of skin infections and the public health response to it. Nasal carriage of a Panton-Valentine leukocidin-positive Staphylococcus aureus clone was detected only in previously ill classmates and their family members.

Recent guidelines recommend empiric vancomycin dosing of 60 mg/kg per day and consideration of higher trough concentrations (15-20 mcg/mL) in children with invasive infections. In this study, we report a retrospective review evaluating the dose/trough relationship and predicted area under the curve in pediatric patients receiving vancomycin for invasive staphylococcal infections.