Staphylococcus aureus positive skin infections and international travel

Staphylococcus aureus is a frequent cause of purulent skin infections in travellers returning from the tropics and subtropics. This review gives an account of the current knowledge on travel-related, S. aureus positive skin infections with a focus on recent findings on both bacterial pathogenicity and mechanisms of innate defence. In particular, the potential role of community-acquired methicillin-resistance, Panton-Valentine leukocidin as well as antimicrobial peptides in the evolution of this type of infection are discussed. Moreover, conflicting findings for a possible association of travel and migration with the global emergence of community-acquired methicillin-resistant S. aureus infections are summarised. This review highlights areas of uncertainty that require further investigation.