One type of bacteria has made a name for itself in the treatment of disease and resistance to antibiotics like no other: staphylococcus aureus. This germ is found on the mucous membranes of most people throughout their lives as a harmless skin colonizer. But when a weakened immune system and many antibiotic therapies experienced by this germ combine, this bacterium can become a challenge to the limits of medicine.
What is Staphylococcus aureus?
The bacterium Staphylococcus aureus appears under the microscope a spherical bacterium with a thick cell wall stainable in the Gram test. Often arranged in a grape shape, this bacterium is known to rarely move actively and does not form spores to better survive harsh external conditions. It measures just under one micrometer in length and is found almost everywhere in nature, in humans on the surface of the skin and in more than three quarters of all people in the upper respiratory tract. Under normal conditions, this bacterium alone does not cause any symptoms of disease. Unnoticed, Staphylococcus aureus, together with other bacteria, forms a protective shield on the skin of humans, with the function of leaving no room for more dangerous strains of bacteria to colonize the skin.
Importance and function
This protective screen of bacteria is among one of the most important systems of defense against pathogens in the human body. Although in most cases the defense system of the human body can defend itself well against pathogens of all kinds. However, most potential pathogens are warded off by the natural protective barriers on the human skin. Without a functioning skin as a protective cover against bacteria, the body’s defense system could not successfully defend itself against an invasion of bacteria of all kinds. The skin surface is thus one of the most important components of the defense system against pathogens. If the skin is washed too much or even thoroughly disinfected, this protective film of bacteria can be thinned out too much. As a result, other types of bacteria can then colonize the skin and enter the body more easily, causing serious illness. Even in hostile environmental conditions, Staphylococcus aureus can remain alive for long periods of time. Only temperatures above 60 degrees Celsius are sufficient to kill Staphylococcus aureus. In a dry environment, the bacterium often survives for several months. Because of its ability to survive in acidic environments, this pathogen can also survive passage through the stomach. It is primarily these characteristics for survival in adverse environments that make this Staphylococcus aureus a common bacterium in hospitals.
Diseases
In most cases, Staphylococcus aureus cannot cause any signs of disease. Thus, this bacterium can colonize the mucous membranes and skin throughout a person’s life without being noticeable to the person. If the germ gets an opportunity to enter directly into the inside of the body due to favorable circumstances, this germ can lead to certain diseases. This can be the case, for example, with weakened immune defenses, diabetes, damage to the skin as in psoriasis or neurodermatitis, or skin injuries such as those caused by accidents, surgery, or the insertion of catheters. Often in these cases, Staphylococcus aureus can cause skin inflammation such as boils and carbuncles or muscle disorders such as pyomyositis. In some cases, however, the bacterium can also cause life-threatening diseases such as blood poisoning, pneumonia, the so-called toxic syndrome (TTS) or endocarditis. Because of the bacterium’s long survival time, Staphylococcus aureus can quickly develop resistance. When the germ has acquired multiple resistances, these germs are they are particularly difficult to treat because they are sensitive to fewer and fewer antibiotics. However, these few antibiotics can often have an unfavorable efficacy profile.
