In a study of 84 SLE patients, Conti et al. detected Staphylococcus aureus colonising the nasal mucosa and, although the rate of occurrence was similar to that observed in healthy controls, this may be associated with a distinct SLE phenotype characterized by renal and skin involvement and a higher likelihood of anti-dsDNA, anti-Sm, anti-SSA, anti-SSB, and anti-RNP antibody positivity [11]. This evidence concerns the gene TRIM21 and systemic lupus erythematosus.