Transmission of Methicillin-ResistantStaphylococcus aureusto a Microbiologist

Abstract

To the Editor: Strains of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus that produce Panton–Valentine leukocidin and that are associated with soft-tissue infections and necrotizing pneumonia are emerging worldwide,1 most often as a source of community-acquired infections but also as a source of nosocomial infections.2–4 We report a case of infection with such a strain that occurred in a laboratory and that affected an experienced microbiologist in the absence of a prior skin lesion. Acute paronychia on the left middle finger developed in a 37-year-old microbiologist seven days after he had worked with a strain of methicillin-resistant S. aureus that produced Panton–Valentine leukocidin. . . .