STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS VACCINE: OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES AHEAD OF ROLLOUT

Dr. Dewesh Kumar, Prerna Kumari, Omkar Kumar, Mukul Kumar Kejriwal, Namita Mandi, Neha Kumari*

Staphylococcus aureus is a ubiquitous gram-positive pathogen responsible for a wide range of illnesses—from mild skin infections to life-threatening diseases such as endocarditis, pneumonia, bacteremia, and sepsis. Its increasing antibiotic resistance and immune evasion strategies make it a formidable public health threat, articularly in hospital and community settings. Despite decades of effort, there is no approved vaccine available against S. aureus. This article delves into the historical evolution of vaccine candidates, explores reasons for past failures, and reviews emerging approaches in vaccine design—highlighting the urgent need for multi-antigenic, immune-stimulating strategies that address pathogen variability and host response diversity.