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 Hook; 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 Hook, Mario Recker

Research Institute

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68 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 1 2006

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Microbiology
Immunology and Microbiology(all)
Infectious Diseases

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10.1038/nrmicro1551

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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.",

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