title: Success stories about severe pneumonia caused by Panton-Valentine leucocidin-producing Staphylococcus aureus.
abstract: We describe three cases of community-acquired necrotizing pneumonia which were caused by Panton-Valentine leucocidin-producing strains of Staphylococcus aureus (one of them methicillin sensitive). All cases were successfully treated without any sequelae for the patients due to the prompt initiation of adequate antimicrobial therapy. High suspicion toward this fatal pathogen was the key to the successful outcome of the patients.
authors.affiliation: 2nd University Department of Critical Care, Attikon University Hospital, Athens, Greece. Electronic address: lparamyth61@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Paramythiotou
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Elisabeth
authors.affiliation: 4th University Department of Internal Medicine, Attikon University Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Souli
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maria
authors.affiliation: 4th University Department of Internal Medicine, Attikon University Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Galani
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Irene
authors.affiliation: 4th University Department of Internal Medicine, Attikon University Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Giamarellou
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Helen
authors.affiliation: 2nd University Department of Critical Care, Attikon University Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Armaganidis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Apostolos
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D005098:Exotoxins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007956:Leukocidins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008297:Male; D009336:Necrosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D011023:Pneumonia, Staphylococcal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D005098:Exotoxins; D007956:Leukocidins; C078284:Panton-Valentine leukocidin
keywords: Clindamycin; Community-acquired pneumonia; Panton–Valentine leukocidin; Staphylococcus aureus