Immunity against Staphylococcus aureus cutaneous infections.

Complications arising from cutaneous and soft tissue infections with Staphylococcus aureus are a major clinical problem owing to the high incidence of these infections and the widespread emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains. If prophylactic vaccines or immunotherapy for certain patient populations are to be developed as an alternative to antibiotics, it will be essential to better understand the immune mechanisms that provide protection against S. aureus skin infections. Recent discoveries have identified a key role for interleukin-1 (IL-1)- and IL-17-mediated immune responses in promoting neutrophil recruitment to the site of infection in the skin, a process that is required for host defence and bacterial clearance. This Review describes these new insights and discusses their potential impact on immune-based therapies and vaccination strategies.