Genotypic and Phenotypic Diversity of Staphylococcus aureus Isolates from Cystic Fibrosis Patient Lung Infections and Their Interactions with Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Eryn E. Bernardy, Robert A. Petit, Vishnu Raghuram, Ashley M. Alexander, Timothy D. Read, Joanna B. Goldberg
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is now the most frequently detected recognized pathogen in the lungs of individuals who have cystic fibrosis (CF) in the United States, followed closely by Pseudomonas aeruginosa . When these pathogens are found to coinfect the CF lung, patients have a significantly worse prognosis. While P. aeruginosa has been rigorously studied in the context of bacterial pathogenesis in CF, less is known about S. aureus . Here, we present an in-depth study of 64 S. aureus clinical isolates from CF patients, for which we investigated genetic diversity utilizing whole-genome sequencing, virulence phenotypes, and interactions with P. aeruginosa . We found that S. aureus isolated from CF lungs are phylogenetically diverse; most retain known virulence factors and vary in their interactions with P. aeruginosa (i.e., they range from being highly sensitive to P. aeruginosa to completely tolerant to it). Deepening our understanding of how S. aureus responds to its environment and other microbes in the CF lung will enable future development of effective treatments and preventative measures against these formidable infections.