Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus virulence factors as biomarkers of infection.

The gold standard for the diagnosis of bacterial infections in clinical samples is based on culture tests that are time-consuming and labor-intense. For these reasons, an extraordinary effort has been made to identify biomarkers as the tools for sensitive, rapid and accurate identification of pathogenic microorganisms. Moreover, biomarkers have been tested to distinguish colonization from infection, monitor disease progression, determine the clinical status of patients or predict clinical outcomes. This mini-review describes Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus biomarkers, which contribute to pathogenesis and have been used in culture-independent bacterial identification directly from patient samples.