Clinical Microbiology of Staphylococcus lugdunensis Infections

Staphylococcus lugdunensis is a coagulase-negative staphylococcus that, unlike its relatives, frequently causes invasive disease resembling Staphylococcus aureus infections. It has been implicated in skin and soft tissue infections, infective endocarditis and prosthetic device–associated infections with high morbidity and mortality. Key to its pathogenicity are virulence factors including haemolysins, adhesins and biofilm-forming proteins that facilitate tissue invasion and immune evasion. The species has a relatively closed pan-genome, reflecting limited horizontal gene acquisition yet a conserved repertoire of toxin and surface protein genes. Clinical identification relies on matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry and molecular methods to distinguish it from other coagulase-negative staphylococci. Although generally susceptible to β-lactam antibiotics, isolates carrying resistance determinants such as mecA or fusB can emerge in hospital environments. Understanding the molecular basis of virulence, resistance and transmission is essential to improve diagnosis, treatment and infection control on a global scale.

Research from Nature Portfolio

A seminal study introduced two high-resolution typing methods based on variable-number tandem repeats. Multiple-locus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis (MLVA) and tandem repeat sequence typing (TRST) were shown to discriminate effectively between closely related strains and to resolve outbreak clusters within clonal complexes. These approaches demonstrated superior discriminatory power compared to multilocus sequence typing and multivirulence-locus sequence typing, while maintaining stability and reproducibility. The new schemes enable more precise molecular epidemiology, facilitating rapid source tracking and insight into the pathogen’s transmission dynamics.

Clinical Microbiology of Staphylococcus lugdunensis Infections publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in clinical microbiology of staphylococcus lugdunensis infections across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS): Staphylococcal species that lack the enzyme coagulase, often less virulent but capable of opportunistic infections.

Biofilm: A community of microorganisms attached to a surface and embedded in an extracellular matrix of proteins, polysaccharides and extracellular DNA.

Multiple-locus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis (MLVA): A genotyping method based on the number of repeat units at multiple genomic loci to discriminate between bacterial strains.

Tandem repeat sequence typing (TRST): A sequencing-based approach characterising the exact repeat sequences at tandem-repeat loci for high-resolution strain typing.

Lugdunin: A non-ribosomal cyclic peptide antibiotic produced by S. lugdunensis that exhibits activity against methicillin-resistant staphylococci and enterococci.

Haemolysin: A toxin that lyses red blood cells to release haemoglobin, often contributing to nutrient acquisition and virulence.

References

1. Searching for Virulence Factors among Staphylococcus lugdunensis Isolates from Orthopedic Infections: Correlation of β-hemolysin, hemolysin III, and slush Genes with Hemolytic Activity and Synergistic Hemolytic Activity. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2023).
2. Characterization of Staphylococcus lugdunensis biofilms through ethyl methanesulfonate mutagenesis. AIMS Microbiology (2024).
3. Lugdunin production and activity in Staphylococcus lugdunensis isolates are associated with its genotypes. Microbiology Spectrum (2023).
4. Multiple-Locus Variable Number Tandem Repeat Analysis (MLVA) and Tandem Repeat Sequence Typing (TRST), helpful tools for subtyping Staphylococcus lugdunensis. Scientific Reports (2018).
5. Comparative genomic analysis of Staphylococcus lugdunensis shows a closed pan-genome and multiple barriers to horizontal gene transfer. BMC Genomics (2018).
6. Staphylococcus lugdunensis: Review of Epidemiology, Complications, and Treatment. Cureus (2020).
7. Staphylococcus lugdunensis: antimicrobial susceptibility and optimal treatment options. European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (2019).