Enterotoxin production by Staphylococcus aureus isolates from cases of septicaemia and from healthy carriers.
In a prospective study, 52 Staphylococcus aureus isolates from individual patients with septicaemia and 27 nasal strains from separate, healthy carriers were compared for production of a range of extracellular proteins and toxins. Whereas there was no difference (p greater than 0.05) between septicaemic and nasal isolates with respect to incidence of alpha, beta, gamma and delta haemolysins, toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 or staphylokinase production, the incidence of enterotoxin A, B, and C production was higher among isolates from septicaemia (p less than 0.01). Of the isolates from septicaemia, 33 (63%) produced enterotoxins A, B, C or D alone or in combination. Only three (11%) of the nasal isolates produced a single enterotoxin, enterotoxin D. Of the isolates from septicaemia, 67% were hospital-acquired and greater than 25% of these were endemic, methicillin-resistant (MRSA) strains. All MRSA strains produced either enterotoxin A, or enterotoxin B, or both. These findings suggest a possible role for enterotoxins in the pathogenesis of S. aureus disease other than food poisoning.
Humphreys
H
H
Department of Clinical Microbiology, St James's Hospital, Dublin 8, Ireland.
Keane
C T
CT
Hone
R
R
Pomeroy
H
H
Russell
R J
RJ
Arbuthnott
J P
JP
Coleman
D C
DC
D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D001434:Bacteriophage Typing; D002353:Carrier State / Q000382:microbiology*; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006801:Humans; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases / Q000096:biosynthesis; D010403:Penicillin Resistance; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018805:Sepsis / Q000382:microbiology*; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D018089:Superantigens; D014774:Virulence
D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D004768:Enterotoxins; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; D018089:Superantigens; C030107:enterotoxin F, Staphylococcal; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases; C022653:auR protein, Staphylococcus aureus