Staphylococcus and the Healing Power of Pus

Staphylococcus aureus infections induce formation of neutrophil-rich abscesses filled with debris from dead phagocytes. Corbin and colleagues report that this pus has antimicrobial powers through the activity of calprotectin. Calprotectin, a member of the S100 family of proinflammatory proteins, acts through chelation of manganese. As manganese is an essential cofactor for several enzymes in S. aureus, this impacts bacterial growth and the bacterium's ability to withstand oxidative stress.