Evidence of transmission of a Panton–Valentine leukocidin‐positive community‐acquired methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus clone: a family affair. (26th February 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Cocchi, P.; Taccetti, G.; Montagnani, C.; Campana, S.; Galli, L.; Braggion, C.; de, M.; Lina, G.
• Is Part Of: Clinical microbiology and infection. Volume 19:Number 12(2013:Dec.)
• Page Start: 1158
• Page End: 1162
• Publication Date: 2013-02-26
• Subjects: Medical microbiology -- Periodicals; Diagnostic microbiology -- Periodicals; Communicable diseases -- Periodicals; Infection -- Periodicals; 616.01
• DOI: 10.1111/1469-0691.12159
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1198-743X

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" xml:lang="en" id="clm12159-abs-0001"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>Community‐acquired methicillin‐resistant <italic>Staphylococcus aureus</italic> (CA‐MRSA) may represent a serious public health problem, owing to the spread of toxin‐producing lineages. The presence of genes encoding for Panton–Valentine leukocidin (PVL) is an important virulence marker, as the clinical <italic>sequelae</italic> of PVL‐positive infections are often described as more severe than those of PVL‐negative <italic>S. aureus</italic> infections. To date, the presence of PVL has not appeared to be common in Italy; we describe the intrafamilial transmission of an epidemic PVL‐producing CA‐MRSA lineage, Southwest Pacific clone (SWP). Our data suggested that the strain circulated from the father, who was recurrently affected by a soft tissue infection, to the mother, who showed nasal colonization, and to their child, who was hospitalized with symptoms of necrotizing pneumonia. In this case, we found that a recurrent skin infection that is not normally taken into account may represent a serious threat if caused by a PVL‐producing strain. Our findings may have considerable implications for strategies for infection control and treatment of methicillin‐resistant <italic>S. aureus</italic> infections.</p> </abstract>