Staphylococcus aureus isolates from chronic osteomyelitis are characterized by high host cell invasion and intracellular adaptation, but still induce inflammation.

Osteomyelitis is a severe inflammatory disease of the bone that is mainly caused by Staphylococcus aureus. Particularly, bone infections are difficult to treat and can develop into a chronic course with a high relapsing rate despite of antimicrobial treatments. The complex interaction of staphylococci with osseous tissue and the bacterial ability to invade host cells are thought to determine the severity of infection.