title: Panton valentine leukocidin (PVL) toxin positive MRSA strains isolated from companion animals.
abstract: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a highly pathogenic multiple-drug resistant (MDR) microorganism that has recently become more prevalent in the community. It has been found that MRSA strains can also contain genes that encode the panton valentine leukocidin toxin (PVL). The PVL toxin has been shown to be responsible for many of the severe clinical symptoms of infection with MRSA, such as furunculosis, severe necrotizing pneumonia, and necrotic lesions of the skin and soft tissues. The aim of this study was to determine the presence of the S. aureus PVL toxin genes (lukS-PV and lukF-PV) in MRSA strains isolated from companion animals. Eleven MRSA isolates, from a total of 23 tested, were shown to possess the mecA gene and the PVL toxin genes. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis showed that the 11 PVL toxin positive MRSA strains were highly clonal.
authors.affiliation: Mathew J. Ryan Veterinary Hospital, University of Pennsylvania, 3900 Delancey Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. srankin@vet.upenn.edu
authors.forename: Shelley
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rankin
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: O'Shea
authors.forename: Donna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Maloney
authors.forename: Marianne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lorenzo
authors.forename: Charles E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Benson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic / Q000382:microbiology*; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D002415:Cats / Q000382:microbiology; D004285:Dogs / Q000382:microbiology; D005098:Exotoxins; D007956:Leukocidins / Q000235:genetics*; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D010311:Parrots / Q000382:microbiology; D011817:Rabbits / Q000382:microbiology; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D005098:Exotoxins; D007956:Leukocidins; C078284:Panton-Valentine leukocidin