The species Staphylococcus aureus harbors 19 superantigen gene loci, six of which are located in the enterotoxin gene cluster (egc). Although these egc superantigens are far more prevalent in clinical S. aureus isolates than non-egc superantigens, they are not a prominent cause of toxic shock. Moreover, neutralizing Abs against egc superantigens are very rare, even among carriers of egc-positiv...

INTRODUCTION Circulating strains of Staphylococcus aureus (SA) have changed in the last 30 years including the emergence of community-associated methicillin-resistant SA (MRSA). A report suggested staphylococcal toxic shock syndrome (TSS) was increasing over 2000-2003. The last population-based assessment of TSS was 1986. METHODS Population-based active surveillance for TSS meeting the CDC de...

Toxic shock syndrome (TSS) is a multi system disorder resulting from superantigen-mediated cytokine production. Nearly 90% of the clinical cases of TSS arise due to an exotoxin, toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1), elaborated by toxigenic strains of Staphylococcus aureus. It is clearly established that besides antigen-specific signals a variety of costimulatory signals are required for full T...

INTRODUCTION Direct detection of microbial super antigens in synovial fluid of patients with rheumatoid arthritis may be able to guide to the design of cost-effective therapies. The purpose of this study was to assess the existence of Staphylococcal enterotoxin A (superantigen A) in the synovial fluid of patients with RA by the PCR and ELISA methods. METHODS This experimental study was conduc...

Streptococcus pyogenes (group A Streptococcus) has re-emerged in recent years as a cause of severe human disease. Because extracellular products are involved in streptococcal pathogenesis, we explored the possibility that a disease isolate expresses an uncharacterized superantigen. We screened culture supernatants for superantigen activity with a major histocompatibility complex class II-depend...

Four monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were produced binding to four nonoverlapping epitopes on the superantigen staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB). The mAbs were tested for their ability to detect SEB bound to major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II, to inhibit SEB binding to MHC class II, to inhibit SEB stimulation of T cell hybridomas, to bind to various nonfunctional mutants of SEB, and ...

Recent studies have suggested that T cells play a critical role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. Guttate psoriasis is a well-defined form of psoriasis frequently associated with streptococcal throat infection. This study tested the hypothesis that T cells in acute guttate psoriasis skin lesions may be activated by streptococcal superantigens. Peripheral blood as well as lesional and perilesion...

Food allergy represents failure to develop tolerance to dietary proteins. Food allergy has increased in prevalence in parallel with decreased exposure to microbes during infancy. In mice, neonatal peroral exposure to the strongly T cell stimulating superantigen staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA), enhances the capacity to develop oral tolerance to a novel antigen encountered in adult life. A pop...