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Epidemiological data on Staphylococcus aureus strains producing synergohymenotropic toxins
G Prevost1, P Couppie, P Prevost
1Institut de Bactériologie, Faculté de Médecine de Strasbourg, France.
Journal of Medical Microbiology
|April 1, 1995
Summary
Most Staphylococcus aureus strains carry the gamma-haemolysin (hlg) gene, but few produce Panton-Valentine leucocidin (PVL). PVL-producing strains are linked to skin infections and can be tracked using phage susceptibility and PFGE.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Molecular Biology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Staphylococcus aureus is a common pathogen.
- Panton-Valentine leucocidin (PVL) and gamma-haemolysin (hlg) are toxins produced by S. aureus.
- The prevalence and clinical relevance of these toxins are important for understanding S. aureus infections.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of luk-PV and hlg genes in clinical S. aureus isolates.
- To investigate the association between PVL-producing S. aureus and primary skin infections.
- To evaluate the utility of phage susceptibility and PFGE as epidemiological markers for PVL-producing strains.
Main Methods:
- DNA hybridization using oligonucleotide probes for luk-PV and hlg genes.
- Prospective clinical study of S. aureus strains.
- Analysis of phage susceptibility patterns and pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) profiles.
Main Results:
- 99% of isolates carried the hlg locus, while only 2% carried both luk-PV and hlg loci.
- 58 PVL-producing isolates were associated with primary skin infections, predominantly furuncles (86%).
- Phage susceptibility and PFGE were effective epidemiological markers for PVL-producing strains, showing identical profiles in recurrent infections.
Conclusions:
- The hlg gene is highly prevalent in S. aureus, whereas luk-PV is rare.
- PVL-producing S. aureus strains are significant causes of skin infections.
- Phage typing and PFGE are valuable tools for tracking PVL-producing S. aureus strains in outbreaks and recurrent infections.