Recurrent Skin Abscesses Caused by Panton-Valentine Leukocidin-Producing Methicillin-Susceptible Staphylococcus aureus

Abstract

0196-4399/00 (see frontmatter) © 2009 Elsevier Clinical Microbiology Newsletter 31:22,2009 Introduction Staphylococcus aureus is an important pathogen, and a frequent cause of community-acquired, as well as hospital-acquired, infections. The most common infections caused by S. aureus are those involving the skin and soft tissues (furuncles, cellulitis, and impetigo) and, less commonly, infections at deeper sites (bones, joints, and heart valves). Frequently, S. aureus produces toxinmediated diseases, such as toxic shock syndrome, caused by the elaboration of toxic shock syndrome toxin 1, and food poisoning, caused by staphylococcal enterotoxins (1). Another important toxin is Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL), which kills neutrophils. PVL production has been linked epidemiologically to specific infections, such as primary skin and soft tissue disease, severe necrotizing pneumonia, and severe bone and joint infections (2). Initially, PVL appeared to be associated with infections caused by communityacquired methicillin-resistant S. aureus (CA-MRSA) strains (3). However, here we report the case of a patient with recurrent skin abscesses caused by a PVL-producing, methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) strain.