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Panton-Valentine Leukocidin-Positive <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> Strains Are Associated with Follicular Skin Infections

2011; Karger Publishers; Volume: 222; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1159/000324044

1421-9832

P. Del Giudice, Michèle Bes, Thomas Hubiche, Véronique Blanc, Laurent Roudière, Gérard Lina, François Vandenesch, Jérôme Étienne,

Autoimmune Bullous Skin Diseases

<i>Background/Aims:</i> Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL)-positive <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> have been associated with suppurative infections; however, their precise role in skin infections has not been elucidated. We studied the rate of PVL-positive <i>S. aureus</i> in the different types of skin infections and compared follicular to nonfollicular skin infections. <i>Methods:</i> In our institution, patients with a skin infection caused by <i>S. aureus</i> were enrolled in a prospective, observational cohort study (from July 1, 2003 to June 30, 2010). We studied the rate of PVL-positive <i>S. aureus</i> in the different clinical types of skin infections and compared the rate of PVL-positive <i>S. aureus</i> in follicular infections to that in nonfollicular infections. <i>Results:</i> A total 229 skin infections were included: 97 (42.5%) were caused by PVL-positive strains. Thirty-nine of the 53 (74%) follicular infections [8 of the 17 (47%) with folliculitis, 30 of the 35 (85.5%) with furuncles and 1 with a carbuncle (100%)] were caused by PVL-positive <i>S. aureus,</i> compared to 16 of the 131 (12%) nonfollicular infections (p < 0.001). <i>Conclusion:</i> PVL-positive <i>S. aureus</i> strains are mainly associated with follicular skin infections.