title: Comparative analysis of USA300 virulence determinants in a rabbit model of skin and soft tissue infection.
abstract: Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) infections are frequently associated with strains harboring genes encoding Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL). The role of PVL in the success of the epidemic CA-MRSA strain USA300 remains unknown. Here we developed a skin and soft tissue infection model in rabbits to test the hypothesis that PVL contributes to USA300 pathogenesis and compare it with well-established virulence determinants: alpha-hemolysin (Hla), phenol-soluble modulin-alpha peptides (PSMα), and accessory gene regulator (Agr). The data indicate that Hla, PSMα, and Agr contribute to the pathogenesis of USA300 skin infections in rabbits, whereas a role for PVL could not be detected.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Human Bacterial Pathogenesis, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, and Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: Scott D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Malachowa
authors.forename: Adeline R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Whitney
authors.forename: Kevin R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Braughton
authors.forename: Donald J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Gardner
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Long
authors.forename: Juliane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bubeck Wardenburg
authors.forename: Olaf
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Schneewind
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Otto
authors.forename: Frank R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Deleo
mesh_terms: D000038:Abscess / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D058491:Bacterial Load; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005098:Exotoxins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D007956:Leukocidins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D008853:Microscopy; D011817:Rabbits; D012867:Skin / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D018461:Soft Tissue Infections / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D013207:Staphylococcal Skin Infections / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014774:Virulence; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C095698:Agr protein, Staphylococcus aureus; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D005098:Exotoxins; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; D007956:Leukocidins; C078284:Panton-Valentine leukocidin; D015534:Trans-Activators; D037521:Virulence Factors; C021091:staphylococcal alpha-toxin