Korean J Lab Med.  2007 Aug;27(4):286-291. 10.3343/kjlm.2007.27.4.286.

Panton-Valentine Leukocidin Positive Staphylococcus aureus Isolated from Blood in Korea

• Kim JS
• Park JS
• Song W
• Kim HS
• Cho HC
• Lee KM
• Kim EC

• KMID: 1781498
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3343/kjlm.2007.27.4.286

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) is a pore-forming toxin secreted by some Staphylococcus aureus strains and associated with skin and soft tissue infections; these strains are epidemiologically associated with current outbreaks of community-acquired methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and with necrotizing pneumonia in healthy adults in USA and Europe. This study was performed to investigate the presence of PVL-positive S. aureus and the significant infections known to be caused by this organism. METHODS: A total of 573 strains of S. aureus blood isolates at university-affiliated hospital during 2002 to 2005 were selected. The presence of PVL was investigated using PCR. Additional 12 staphylococcal toxin genes were also examined in PVL-positive S. aureus strains, and MRSA isolates were typed for the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec). RESULTS: PVL genes were detected in 5 (0.9%) of 573 S. aureus strains, including 1 MRSA and 4 MSSA. The PVL-positive MRSA isolate was SCCmec type IV, and no other staphylococcal toxins were detected. The median age of the patients infected with PVL-positive S. aureus was 36 yr. Three cases of bacteremia were preceded by skin and soft-tissue infections. CONCLUSIONS: Bacteremia caused by PVL-positive S. aureus strain were detected in 5 patients in Korea, and some of the patients were associated with severe skin and soft-tissue infections. In addition, the PVL-positive MRSA strain of SCCmec type IV, a characteristic of community-acquired MRSA isolates in USA and Europe, also exists in Korea, and can cause the severe infections known to be associated with this organism.

Keyword

Staphylococcus aureus; MRSA; Panton-Valentine leukocidin; Toxin; SCCmec; Soft tissue infection

MeSH Terms

Adult
Bacteremia/*microbiology
Bacterial Proteins/genetics
Bacterial Toxins/*blood
Exotoxins/*blood
Female
Humans
Korea
Leukocidins/*blood
Male
Methicillin/pharmacology
Methicillin Resistance/drug effects
Middle Aged
Polymerase Chain Reaction/methods
Staphylococcal Infections/*microbiology
Staphylococcus aureus/genetics/*isolation & purification

Reference

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