Staphylococcus aureus: From Immunity to Vaccine Development

Dear Colleagues,

Staphylococcus aureus (SA), a formidable pathobiont, asymptomatically colonizes the skin and mucosal surfaces of roughly 30% of the population. Notably, it remains a predominant source of infections within healthcare settings across the United States, contributing to approximately 20,000 deaths annually as of 2017. The introduction of antibiotics initially provided effective countermeasures against SA, but the subsequent emergence of resistance against nearly all available treatments underscores the critical challenge of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). A striking projection from a 2016 report commissioned by the UK government anticipates that, without significant advancements to curb AMR, diseases caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria could result in ten million deaths annually by 2050.

Given the slow pace of novel antibiotic development and the rapid evolution of AMR, there is an imperative need to explore complementary strategies, such as vaccination; however, despite extensive research efforts dating back to 1902 and the exploration of numerous vaccine candidates targeting toxins and cell wall-anchored (CWA) antigens in pre-clinical studies, clinical trials have repeatedly failed to yield an effective vaccine. About thirty clinical trials later, the global health community still faces the absence of a licensed vaccine against SA.

To address this critical gap, the upcoming Special Issue of Pathogens is dedicated to unraveling the complexities of SA vaccine development. It will delve into the multifaceted challenges of vaccine failure, exploring topics such as the immune evasion strategies utilized by SA, the impact of prior exposure on vaccine efficacy, and the use of laboratory animal models in vaccine research. Additionally, it will examine correlates of protection, the role of in vitro experimental models in understanding vaccine efficacy, novel strategies with which to mitigate vaccine interference in human hosts, and the ongoing quest for new antigen discoveries.

Through comprehensive discussions and innovative research contributions, this Special Issue aims to provide a platform for advancing our understanding of the scientific and clinical hurdles that complicate the development of a successful vaccine against this deadly pathogen. It is our hope that by highlighting these challenges and exploring new approaches, we can pave the way toward effective interventions that will ultimately reduce the global burden of SA infections.

Dr. Irshad Ahmed Hajam
Dr. April Aralar
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pathogens is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• S. aureus
• host biology
• pathobiont interactions
• clinical research