A pathogen belonging to the species Staphylococcus capitis has recently been identified as being responsible for nosocomial diseases in premature babies. This multi-resistant bacterium exposes newborns to an increased risk of morbidity. A research team from the International Centre for Research in Infectiology (CIRI, INSERM/CNRS/ENS Lyon/Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1), in collaboration with the National Museum of Natural History, has traced the history of the emergence of this pathogen and the causes of its specificity in newborns. Its worldwide dissemination since the 1960s is thought to be the result of multi-resistant resistance following the increasing use of the antibiotic vancomycin. These results are published in the journal Nature microbiology.

Source: Niche specialization and spread of Staphylococcus capitis involved in neonatal sepsis. Thierry Wirth, Marine Bergot, Jean-Philippe Rasigade, Bruno Pichon, Maxime Barbier, Patricia Martins-Simoes, Laurent Jacob, Rachel Pike, Pierre Tissieres, Jean-Charles Picaud, Angela Kearns, Philip Supply, Marine Butin, Frédéric Laurent, the International Consortium for Staphylococcus capitis neonatal sepsis & the ESGS Study Group of ESCMID. Nature Microbiology, April 27, 2020.