Frequency of toxic shock syndrome toxin- and enterotoxin-producing clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus.
In 183 clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus, toxic shock syndrome toxin was detected in 13.7%, enterotoxin A in 20.2%, enterotoxin B in 7.7%, enterotoxin C in 5.5% and enterotoxin D in 3.3%. Seventy-three (39.9%) of the strains were found to produce one or more toxins. Multiple secretion of toxins was rare (< 1% of all strains) except for the combinations enterotoxin A with toxic shock syndrome toxin and enterotoxin A with enterotoxin D. These combinations were observed at significantly higher frequencies (4.9% and 2.2%, respectively) than would have been expected from values calculated from respective individual frequencies (0.88% and 0.06%) (p < 0.0001). In comparison with Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from miscellaneous material, Staphylococcus aureus blood culture isolates produced enterotoxin D in significantly larger amounts and at higher frequencies (p = 0.01 in both cases). These toxins might play an important pathogenic role in Staphylococcus aureus infections.
Lehn
N
N
Institute for Medical Microbiology, Technical University Munich, Germany.
Schaller
E
E
Wagner
H
H
Krönke
M
M
D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000382:microbiology*; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000145:classification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D018089:Superantigens
D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D004768:Enterotoxins; D018089:Superantigens; C030107:enterotoxin F, Staphylococcal