Staphylococcus aureus is a bacterial pathogen responsible for the majority of skin and
soft tissue infections.
Antibiotics are losing their efficacy as treatment for skin and
soft tissue infections as a result of increased resistance in a variety of pathogens, including S. aureus It is thus imperative to explore alternative antimicrobial treatments to ensure future treatment options for skin and
soft tissue infections. A select few
lantibiotics, a group of natural defense
peptides produced by bacteria, inhibit the growth of numerous clinical S. aureus isolates, including methicillin-resistant strains. In this study, the antimicrobial activities of
nisin, clausin, and amyloliquecidin, separately administered, were compared to that of a
mupirocin-based
ointment, which is commonly used as treatment for S. aureus-induced skin
infections. Full-thickness excisional
wounds, generated on the dorsal surfaces of mice, were infected with a bioluminescent strain of S. aureus (strain Xen 36). The
infections were monitored in real time using in vivo bioluminescent imaging.
Lantibiotic treatments significantly reduced the bioluminescence of S. aureus Xen 36 to a level similar to that recorded with
mupirocin treatment.
Wound closure, however, was more pronounced during
lantibiotic treatment.
Lantibiotics thus have the potential to be used as an alternative treatment option for S. aureus-induced skin
infections.