Staphylococcus aureus, Panton-Valentine leukocidin, and necrotising pneumonia

doi:10.1136/bmj.331.7520.793

BMJ 2005;331:793-794 (8 October), doi:10.1136/bmj.331.7520.793

Editorial

Staphylococcus aureus, Panton-Valentine leukocidin, and necrotising pneumonia

A rare but often lethal cocktail that can complicate flu

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Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) is one of many toxins producedby Staphylococcus aureus. Structurally similar to ${gamma}$ haemolysin,this leukocidin comprises two subunits (F and S) that togetherare leukocidal and dermonecrotic.¹ Intermixing of ${gamma}$ haemolysinand the subunits of PVL produces toxin molecules with varyingcellular affinities and destructive capability, even when thestaphylococci may be otherwise sensitive to antibiotics suchas methicillin. The death of a fit young soldier in the UnitedKingdom earlier this year from toxicity to PVL illustrated theextent of that capability.²

Infection with PVL producing staphylococci is rare. Fewer than2% of clinical isolates of S aureus examined in the United Kingdomin 2002-3 had the genes to produce the leukocidin, althoughit was found in 4.6% of samples from infections of skin andsoft tissue.³ Furthermore, "pure" disease caused by those Saureus bacteria that produce PVL is rarely life threatening.It presents as . . . [Full text of this article]

Marina Morgan, consultant medical microbiologist

Royal Devon and Exeter Foundation Trust, Exeter EX2 5AD (marina.morgan@rdehc-tr.swest.nhs.uk)

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Brown, A.L. (2006). Panton-valentine leucocidinproducing Staphylococcus aureus. British Journal of Infection Control 7: 11-15 [Abstract]

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Staphylococcus Aureus strains with the Panton-Valentine Leukocidin (PVL) gene are probably not rare.: Laura Shallcross, et al.
bmj.com, 13 Oct 2005 [Full text]