[Panton-Valentine leukocidin positive Staphylococcus aureus isolated from blood in Korea].
BACKGROUND
Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) is a pore-forming toxin secreted by some Staphylococcus aureus strains and associated with skin and soft tissue infections; these strains are epidemiologically associated with current outbreaks of community-acquired methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and with necrotizing pneumonia in healthy adults in USA and Europe. This study was performed to investigate the presence of PVL-positive S. aureus and the significant infections known to be caused by this organism.


METHODS
A total of 573 strains of S. aureus blood isolates at university-affiliated hospital during 2002 to 2005 were selected. The presence of PVL was investigated using PCR. Additional 12 staphylococcal toxin genes were also examined in PVL-positive S. aureus strains, and MRSA isolates were typed for the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec).


RESULTS
PVL genes were detected in 5 (0.9%) of 573 S. aureus strains, including 1 MRSA and 4 MSSA. The PVL-positive MRSA isolate was SCCmec type IV, and no other staphylococcal toxins were detected. The median age of the patients infected with PVL-positive S. aureus was 36 yr. Three cases of bacteremia were preceded by skin and soft-tissue infections.


CONCLUSIONS
Bacteremia caused by PVL-positive S. aureus strain were detected in 5 patients in Korea, and some of the patients were associated with severe skin and soft-tissue infections. In addition, the PVL-positive MRSA strain of SCCmec type IV, a characteristic of community-acquired MRSA isolates in USA and Europe, also exists in Korea, and can cause the severe infections known to be associated with this organism.
Kim
Jae Seok
JS
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Hallym University College of Medicine1, Seoul, Korea.
Park
Jeong Su
JS
Song
Wonkeun
W
Kim
Han Sung
HS
Cho
Hyoun Chan
HC
Lee
Kyu Man
KM
Kim
Eui Chong
EC
D000328:Adult; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000382:microbiology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000097:blood*; D005098:Exotoxins / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea; D007956:Leukocidins / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008712:Methicillin / Q000494:pharmacology; D016106:Methicillin Resistance / Q000187:drug effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D005098:Exotoxins; D007956:Leukocidins; C078284:Panton-Valentine leukocidin; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins; C487789:mecA protein, Staphylococcus aureus; D008712:Methicillin