Staphylococcal Superantigens: Pyrogenic Toxins Induce Toxic Shock

Staphylococcal Enterotoxin B and Related Pyrogenic Toxins

Toxic shock syndrome-associated staphylococcal and streptococcal pyrogenic toxins are potent inducers of tumor necrosis factor production.

Toxic shock syndrome-associated staphylococcal and streptococcal exotoxins were tested for an ability to induce the production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF). Staphylococcal enterotoxins B and C1, along with streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin A, all induced TNF production in a dose-dependent manner, with production peaking on the average at 3 days but continuing over the 6 days tested. This time ...

Staphylococcal toxic shock syndrome.

A 28 year old male presented with fever, tachycardia, generalized lymphadenopathy and diffuse rash over the body. He failed to respond to intravenous antibiotics and developed cardiogenic shock, multiple organ failure and died within six hours after hospitalization. Staphylococcus aureus colonies were revealed on blood culture.

Staphylococcal and Streptococcal Superantigens: Basic Biology of Conserved Protein Toxins

Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes are gram-positive bacteria that possess great pathogenic potential in humans, causing numerous maladies such as arthritis, cutaneous infections, endocarditis, enterocolitis, food poisoning, pharyngitis, pneumonia, rheumatic fever, surgical site infections, and toxic shock. These prevalent pathogens produce various virulence factors that include t...

Superantigens and Streptococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome

have been implicated with streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS). We analyzed 19 acute-phase serum samples for mitogenic activity from patients with severe strepto-coccal disease. The serum samples from two patients in the acute phase of STSS showed strong proliferative activity. Streptococcal mitogenic exotoxin (SME) Z-1 and strep-tococcal pyrogenic exotoxin (SPE)-J were identified in one p...