Spontaneous Staphylococcus xylosus Infection in Mice Deficient in NADPH Oxidase and Comparison with Other Laboratory Mouse Strains

Staphylococcus xylosus typically is described as a nonpathogenic common inhabitant of rodent skin. Reports of S. xylosus as a primary pathogen in human and veterinary medicine are scarce. Here we report 37 cases, affecting 12 strains of laboratory mice, of spontaneous infections in which S. xylosus was isolated and considered to be the primary pathogen contributing to the death or need for euthanasia of the animal. Infection with S. xylosus was the major cause of death or euthanasia in 3 strains of mice deficient in the production of phagocyte superoxide due to defects in NADPH oxidase. NADPH-oxidase–deficient mice (n = 21) were most susceptible to spontaneous S. xylosus infections. The infections were characterized by abscesses and granulomas in soft tissues, with bacterial migration to internal organs (primarily regional lymph nodes and lungs and, to a lesser degree, muscle, bone, and meninges). In contrast, 9 strains of phagocyte-superoxide–producing mice (n = 16) also had S. xylosus infections, but these were largely confined to eyelids, ocular conjunctiva, and skin and rarely involved other tissues or organs. Because exhaustive bacterial culture and isolation may not be performed routinely from mouse abscesses, S. xylosus infections may be underdiagnosed. S. xylosus should be considered in the differential diagnosis in laboratory mice with abscesses and other skin lesions. This report expands the range of mouse strains and tissues and organs susceptible to spontaneous S. xylosus infection and compares the pathology among various mice strains.