The toxic effects of α-hemolysin and β-hemolysin produced by Staphylococcus aureus.

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a Gram-positive bacterium widely distributed in nature, which can cause skin and soft tissue infections, sepsis, pneumonia and other invasive diseases. In recent years, the emergence and spread of drug-resistant strains such as Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA) have greatly increased the difficulty of clinical treatment, and there is currently no effective vaccine for the treatment of S. aureus. The pathogenicity of S. aureus depends on a complex and diverse set of virulence factor systems. Alpha hemolysin and beta hemolysin are important toxins produced by it. This article summarizes the toxic effects of α hemolysin and β hemolysin and better understanding the roles of α hemolysin and β hemolysin in the infection process of S. aureus can provide a reference for exploring the treatment of S. aureus with antitoxins.