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While S. Epidermidis itself having antibiotic resistance may not be much of a problem, how it synergizes with S. Aureus poses a serious threat. Unlike Epidermidis, Aureus is capable of making aggressive toxins , and can lead to serious infections by itself. However, S. Epidermidis can worsen these infections by transferring antibiotic resistant genes to Aureus via plasmids [ 1 ] making them much more difficult to treat. Aureus secretes exoproteins such as toxic shock syndrome toxin-1, alpha toxin, and tissue degrading enzyme [ 1 ] which makes them a dangerous pathogen in their own right, but when combined with antibiotic resistances the patient's risks of toxic shock or tissue damage are greatly increased. Additionally, the pro-inflammatory peptides and exopolymers secreted by S. Epidermidis helps both bacteria evade the immune system of the host, presenting another dangerous variable into the infection.
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