Staphylococcus saprophyticus and Urinary Tract Infections
Summary
Staphylococcus saprophyticus is a Gram-positive, coagulase-negative coccus that ranks as the second most common cause of community-acquired urinary tract infections (UTIs) in sexually active young women. It colonises the skin, perineum and gastrointestinal tract, and can be transmitted via the faecal–perineal–urethral route or through contaminated food and water. Key virulence mechanisms include adhesins that bind to uroepithelial surfaces, production of urease that raises urinary pH, and the ability to form biofilms on catheter surfaces and uroepithelium. Although many infections are uncomplicated and respond to agents such as nitrofurantoin or trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole, emerging resistance mediated by mobile genetic elements and phage-associated genes has been reported. Global phylogenomic studies highlight distinct lineages with differing repertoires of resistance determinants and surface proteins, underscoring the importance of surveillance and molecular diagnostics for guiding empirical therapy and preventing recurrence.
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Staphylococcus saprophyticus and Urinary Tract Infections publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in staphylococcus saprophyticus and urinary tract infections across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Coagulase-negative staphylococci: A group of staphylococcal species that do not produce the enzyme coagulase and are common skin commensals, some of which cause opportunistic infections.
Biofilm: A structured community of bacterial cells enclosed in a self-produced polymeric matrix adherent to an inert or living surface, often exhibiting increased tolerance to antimicrobials.
Antibiotic resistance gene (ARG): A genetic sequence that confers bacterial resistance to one or more antibiotics, often carried on mobile elements such as plasmids or transposons.
Phylogenomics: The application of genome-scale data to infer evolutionary relationships and population structure among microbial strains.
Pangenome: The full complement of genes within a species, encompassing core genes shared by all strains and accessory genes present in subsets that drive diversity in traits such as virulence and resistance.
References
- Comparative genomics reveals the correlations of stress response genes and bacteriophages in developing antibiotic resistance of Staphylococcus saprophyticus. mSystems (2023).
- Early Release - Foodborne Origin and Local and Global Spread of Staphylococcus saprophyticus Causing Human Urinary Tract Infections - Volume 27, Number 3—March 2021 - Emerging Infectious Diseases journal - CDC. Emerging Infectious Diseases (2021).
- In vitro Effects of Antimicrobial Agents on Planktonic and Biofilm Forms of Staphylococcus saprophyticus Isolated From Patients With Urinary Tract Infections. Frontiers in Microbiology (2019).
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