Skip to content
The Kids Research Institute Australia logo

Characterising commensal and pathogenic staphylococcal interactions with neonatal and adult blood

The abundant skin commensal, Staphylococcus epidermidis, is the leading cause of late-onset sepsis (LOS) in preterm infants but rarely causes infections in term infants and adults. Staphylococcal virulence mechanisms and the role of the preterm immune responses in driving these life-threatening infections remain poorly understood.

Citation:
Joubert IA, Mullally C, Wang P, Chopra A, Strunk T, Currie A. Characterising commensal and pathogenic staphylococcal interactions with neonatal and adult blood. Sci Rep. 2026;16(1).

Keywords:
Neonatal sepsis; Dual RNA-sequencing; Host-pathogen interaction; Late-onset sepsis; Preterm infant; Staphylococcus epidermidis

Abstract:
The abundant skin commensal, Staphylococcus epidermidis, is the leading cause of late-onset sepsis (LOS) in preterm infants but rarely causes infections in term infants and adults. Staphylococcal virulence mechanisms and the role of the preterm immune responses in driving these life-threatening infections remain poorly understood.