Staphylococcus aureus is now recognized as a facultative intracellular pathogen. The aim of this review is to discuss novel data regarding the invasion mechanism and post-invasion events with a focus on the fate of the infected phagosome in non-professional phagocytes and the role of S. aureus alpha-toxin.
Institute of Hygiene and Microbiology, University of Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Strasse 2, Bldg. E1, D-97080 Würzburg, Germany. bsinha@hygiene.uni-wuerzburg.de
