The evolution and maintenance of virulence in Staphylococcus aureus: A role for host-to-host transmission?

Ruth C. Massey; Malcolm J. Horsburgh; Gerard Lina; Magnus Höök; Mario Recker

doi:10.1038/nrmicro1551

The evolution and maintenance of virulence in Staphylococcus aureus: A role for host-to-host transmission?

Ruth C. Massey, Malcolm J. Horsburgh, Gerard Lina, Magnus Höök, Mario Recker

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

79 Scopus citations

Abstract

Despite progress in our understanding of infectious disease biology and prevention, the conditions that select for the establishment and maintenance of microbial virulence remain enigmatic. To address this aspect of pathogen biology, we focus on two members of the Staphylococcus genus - Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis - and consider why S. aureus has evolved to become more virulent than S. epidermidis. Several hypotheses to explain this phenomenon are discussed and a mathematical model is used to argue that a complex transmission pathway is the key factor in explaining the evolution and maintenance of virulence in S. aureus. In the case of S. epidermidis, where skin contact affords easier transmission between hosts, high levels of virulence do not offer an advantage to this pathogen.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	953-958
Number of pages	6
Journal	Nature Reviews Microbiology
Volume	4
Issue number	12
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/nrmicro1551
State	Published - Dec 2006

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Microbiology
General Immunology and Microbiology
Infectious Diseases

Access to Document

10.1038/nrmicro1551

Cite this

@article{4188093931cc45d9afc9aada493160d5,

title = "The evolution and maintenance of virulence in Staphylococcus aureus: A role for host-to-host transmission?",

abstract = "Despite progress in our understanding of infectious disease biology and prevention, the conditions that select for the establishment and maintenance of microbial virulence remain enigmatic. To address this aspect of pathogen biology, we focus on two members of the Staphylococcus genus - Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis - and consider why S. aureus has evolved to become more virulent than S. epidermidis. Several hypotheses to explain this phenomenon are discussed and a mathematical model is used to argue that a complex transmission pathway is the key factor in explaining the evolution and maintenance of virulence in S. aureus. In the case of S. epidermidis, where skin contact affords easier transmission between hosts, high levels of virulence do not offer an advantage to this pathogen.",

author = "Massey, {Ruth C.} and Horsburgh, {Malcolm J.} and Gerard Lina and Magnus H{\"o}{\"o}k and Mario Recker",

year = "2006",

month = dec,

doi = "10.1038/nrmicro1551",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "4",

pages = "953--958",

journal = "Nature Reviews Microbiology",

issn = "1740-1526",

publisher = "Nature Research",

number = "12",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - The evolution and maintenance of virulence in Staphylococcus aureus

T2 - A role for host-to-host transmission?

AU - Massey, Ruth C.

AU - Horsburgh, Malcolm J.

AU - Lina, Gerard

AU - Höök, Magnus

AU - Recker, Mario

PY - 2006/12

Y1 - 2006/12

N2 - Despite progress in our understanding of infectious disease biology and prevention, the conditions that select for the establishment and maintenance of microbial virulence remain enigmatic. To address this aspect of pathogen biology, we focus on two members of the Staphylococcus genus - Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis - and consider why S. aureus has evolved to become more virulent than S. epidermidis. Several hypotheses to explain this phenomenon are discussed and a mathematical model is used to argue that a complex transmission pathway is the key factor in explaining the evolution and maintenance of virulence in S. aureus. In the case of S. epidermidis, where skin contact affords easier transmission between hosts, high levels of virulence do not offer an advantage to this pathogen.

AB - Despite progress in our understanding of infectious disease biology and prevention, the conditions that select for the establishment and maintenance of microbial virulence remain enigmatic. To address this aspect of pathogen biology, we focus on two members of the Staphylococcus genus - Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis - and consider why S. aureus has evolved to become more virulent than S. epidermidis. Several hypotheses to explain this phenomenon are discussed and a mathematical model is used to argue that a complex transmission pathway is the key factor in explaining the evolution and maintenance of virulence in S. aureus. In the case of S. epidermidis, where skin contact affords easier transmission between hosts, high levels of virulence do not offer an advantage to this pathogen.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33751101588&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=33751101588&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1038/nrmicro1551

DO - 10.1038/nrmicro1551

M3 - Article

C2 - 17109032

AN - SCOPUS:33751101588

SN - 1740-1526

VL - 4

SP - 953

EP - 958

JO - Nature Reviews Microbiology

JF - Nature Reviews Microbiology

IS - 12

ER -

The evolution and maintenance of virulence in Staphylococcus aureus: A role for host-to-host transmission?

Abstract

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this