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Detection of multiple superantigen genes in stools of patients with Kawasaki disease
Tomohiro Suenaga1, Hiroyuki Suzuki, Shoichi Shibuta
1Department of Pediatrics, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, Japan.
Objectives:
To investigate whether superantigens (SAgs) are involved in the development of Kawasaki disease (KD) by examining SAg genes in the stool of patients with KD.
Study Design:
Stool specimens were obtained from 60 patients with KD and 62 age-matched children (36 children with acute illness and 26 healthy children). Total DNA was extracted from these stool samples. Using polymerase chain reaction, we examined genes of 5 SAgs: streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin-A (SPE-A), SPE-C, SPE-G, SPE-J, and toxic shock syndrome toxin-1.
Results:
At least 1 of the 5 SAg genes was detected in 42 (70%) specimens from patients with KD, 14 (38.9%) from the febrile group, and 7 (26.9%) from the healthy group. The detection rate between subjects with and without KD was of at least 1 of the 5 SAg genes (P < .001), and more than 2 SAg genes were significantly different (P = .002).
Conclusions:
SAg may be involved in the development of KD; data suggest that multiple SAgs may trigger KD.
