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Staphylococcus aureus, a prevalent human pathogen and a leading cause of hospital-acquired infections, is increasingly evolving antibiotic-resistant strains, increasing mortality and morbidity rates. Anti-staphylococcal vaccine research for prevention and treatment has become a priority. Antibodies against specific S. aureus components, toxins, and polysaccharides have demonstrated encouraging results in animal studies regarding protection against colonization or infection. However, human immunization trials have yielded less optimistic outcomes, with no anti-staphylococcal having passed clinical trials up to now. Although multiple formulation attempts triggered strong antibody responses, the vaccines could not effectively prevent S. aureus infections. This article delves into the results of immunotherapeutic strategies against S. aureus in both animal and human studies, discussing the feasibility of adequate immunization approaches against S. aureus in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The increasing burden of invasive biofilm-related staphylococcal infections has led to a dire need for new agents to prevent biofilm formation. Bacteriophages may hypothetically alter a biofilm through several mechanisms, including induction of depolymerizing enzymes and lysis of persistent bacteria. We have assessed the influence of commercially available bacteriophage cocktails on Staphylococcus spp. clinical strains viability and biofilm formation. We analyzed 83 staphylococcal strains from patients consecutively admitted to a Romanian infection reference center from October 2014 through May 2015; the strains were characterized by phenotypic and genetic tools for their resistance and virulence features and for their phyliation. Experiments were performed in triplicate. Methicillin-susceptible strains were significantly more susceptible to all tested phages: 1.7-fold higher susceptibility for PYO, 1.4-fold for INTESTI, 2.9-fold for PHAGYO, 2.7-fold for PHAGESTI and 3.9-fold for STAPHYLOCOCCAL; t030 strains were significantly more susceptible to PYO and INTESTI compared with t127 strains. We identified a significant decrease in biofilm formation in the presence of both low and high PYO and INTESTI concentrations (P < 0.001). In conclusion, Staphylococcus strains from Romania displayed fairly good susceptibility to commercially available bacteriophages. We have also ascertained there is phage-driven in vitro inhibition of biofilm formation, the results potentially impacting prevention of prosthetic infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]