An antidote for Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia?
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is the leading cause of bacterial infections in the United States. Severe invasive MRSA infections, which include pneumonia, are difficult to treat because the bacteria are resistant to antibiotics. A new report now shows that immunization against alpha-hemolysin (Hla), a cytolytic toxin secreted by most S. aureus strains, protects mice against lethal pneumonia. This finding represents the first successful vaccine strategy for the treatment of staphylococcal pneumonia.
DeLeo
Frank R
FR
Laboratory of Human Bacterial Pathogenesis, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT 59840, USA. fdeleo@niaid.nih.gov
Otto
Michael
M
D000818:Animals; D000931:Antidotes; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000276:immunology*; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D011023:Pneumonia, Staphylococcal / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013209:Staphylococcal Vaccines; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000276:immunology*; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000276:immunology
D000931:Antidotes; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; D013209:Staphylococcal Vaccines; D037521:Virulence Factors; C021091:staphylococcal alpha-toxin