title: [Panton-Valentine leukocidin positive Staphylococcus aureus isolated from blood in Korea].
abstract: 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.
authors: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Hallym University College of Medicine1, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Jae Seok
authors: JS
authors: Kim
authors: Jeong Su
authors: JS
authors: Park
authors: Wonkeun
authors: W
authors: Song
authors: Han Sung
authors: HS
authors: Kim
authors: Hyoun Chan
authors: HC
authors: Cho
authors: Kyu Man
authors: KM
authors: Lee
authors: Eui Chong
authors: EC
authors: Kim
mesh_terms: 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*
chemical_list: 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