Introduction
Staphylococcus aureus (SA) is a ubiquitous, formidable
Gram-positive pathogen associated with skin and soft tissue, as well as
lifethreatening systemic infections. SA is a leading cause of hospital- and
community-associated infections worldwide, affecting humans and animals. The
wide range of pathologies reflects the diverse abilities of this microbe to
escape the innate and adaptive immune response using virulence factors. Since
its first emergence in the 1960s methicillin-resistant SA (MRSA) has become
endemic in hospitals and healthcare settings worldwide. In the 1990s, community
associated MRSA strains (CA-MRSA) emerged, and are spreading worldwide posing a
major global challenge.
