Comparative analysis of USA300 virulence determinants in a rabbit model of skin and soft tissue infection

Scott D. Kobayashi, Natalia Malachowa, Adeline R. Whitney, Kevin R. Braughton, Donald J. Gardner, Dan Long, Juliane Bubeck Wardenburg, Olaf Schneewind, Michael Otto, Frank R. DeLeo

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213 Scopus citations

Abstract

Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) infections are frequently associated with strains harboring genes encoding Panton- Valentine leukocidin (PVL). The role of PVL in the success of the epidemic CAMRSA strain USA300 remains unknown. Here we developed a skin and soft tissue infection model in rabbits to test the hypothesis that PVL contributes to USA300 pathogenesis and compare it with well-established virulence determinants: alpha-hemolysin (Hla), phenol-solublemodulin-alpha peptides (PSMα), and accessory gene regulator (Agr). The data indicate that Hla, PSMα, and Agr contribute to the pathogenesis of USA300 skin infections in rabbits, whereas a role for PVL could not be detected.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)937-941
Number of pages5
JournalJournal of Infectious Diseases
Volume204
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 15 2011

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