| Staphylococcus argenteus | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Bacteria |
| Kingdom: | Bacillati |
| Phylum: | Bacillota |
| Class: | Bacilli |
| Order: | Bacillales |
| Family: | Staphylococcaceae |
| Genus: | Staphylococcus |
| Species: | S. argenteus |
| Binomial name | |
| Staphylococcus argenteus Tong et al. 2015 [1] | |
Staphylococcus argenteus [1] are gram-positive cocci from the genus Staphylococcus which have been isolated from blood culture of a 55-year-old Indigenous Australian female in 2006 in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia. [2] [3] [1] The species is close related to S. aureus and the differentiation is challenging. [4] While it is hard to differentiate between S. aureus and S. argenteus, it can be done via multilocus sequence typing (MSLT). [5] S. argenteus can cause infections in the blood stream, skin/soft tissue, bones and joints. [6] The species has also been identified in cases of food poisoning. [6] Staphylococcus argenteus is cytotoxic to human cells due to high expression of alpha-hemolysin. [7]
Whole-genome comparisons prove that S.argenteus shares half of its core genome with Staphylococcus aureus, supporting its independent classification and separate monophyletic groups. [8] The species has been linked to skin, respiratory, and bloodstream infections. The virulence and antibiotic-resistance genes differ between strains, but all contain genomic islands like those in S. aureus. [8] Several isolates in Thailand contained unique livestock-associated genes, including tetracycline resistance genes and exotoxins previously observed in S. aureus, indicating the potential for gene transfer between the two Staphylococcus species. [9] ST2250 sequence type is the most dominant strain, especially in Thailand, but the entire species has been isolated in 14 countries. [8] There have been reports of methicillin-resistant strains of the species in Dutch hospitals dating back to 2008, displaying its ability to transmit and spread antibiotic resistance genes. [10]
