Synergistic Tissue Destruction by Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis in a 3D Human Skin Biofilm Equivalent

• A 3D human skin equivalent models staphylococcal biofilms• S. aureus and S. epidermidis show distinct spatial biofilm formation patterns• Co-culture biofilms cause synergistic tissue damage and cytotoxicity• Bi-species infection disrupts epithelial integrity beyond mono-species effects• The model enables mechanistic study of host–microbe interactions in human skin