title: Primary skin abscesses are mainly caused by Panton-Valentine leukocidin-positive Staphylococcus aureus strains.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The role of Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) in skin and soft-tissue infections is not clear.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Our purpose was to determine the prevalence of PVL gene carriage among Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from primary and secondary skin abscesses.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective study was conducted. From July 2003 to June 2008, S. aureus isolates from skin abscesses were screened for the PVL genes. The abscesses were considered primary if they occurred on previously healthy skin and secondary in all other cases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-seven patients presenting with S. aureus skin abscesses were included in the study. The PVL genes were detected in 40 (70%) of the 57 S. aureus isolates. Thirty-eight (92.7%) of the 41 primary skin abscesses were due to PVL-positive strains, compared to only 2 (12.5%) of the 16 secondary skin abscesses (p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Primary skin abscesses are mainly caused by PVL-positive S. aureus strains.
authors: Unité d'Infectiologie-Dermatologie, Hôpital Bonnet, Avenue André Léotard, FR-83700 Fréjus, France. del-giudice-p@chi-frejus-saint-raphael.fr
authors: Pascal
authors: P
authors: del Giudice
authors: Véronique
authors: V
authors: Blanc
authors: Alexis
authors: A
authors: de Rougemont
authors: Michèle
authors: M
authors: Bes
authors: Gérard
authors: G
authors: Lina
authors: Thomas
authors: T
authors: Hubiche
authors: Laurent
authors: L
authors: Roudière
authors: François
authors: F
authors: Vandenesch
authors: Jérôme
authors: J
authors: Etienne
mesh_terms: D000038:Abscess / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000235:genetics*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005098:Exotoxins / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007956:Leukocidins / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013207:Staphylococcal Skin Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity
chemical_list: D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D005098:Exotoxins; D007956:Leukocidins; C078284:Panton-Valentine leukocidin