MRSA-dominant colonization and synergistic pathogenicity with Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a polymicrobial bone infection model

Objective

Polymicrobial bone infections (PBI) remain difficult to treat due to multi-drug resistance and poorly defined microbial interactions. Co-infection with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) represents a clinically prevalent subtype of PBI. Using a rat PBI model, this study aimed to elucidate the spatiotemporal dynamics of MRSA-PA co-infection and its impact on host responses, bacterial persistence, and antimicrobial susceptibility.