Staphylococcal enterotoxin B toxic shock syndrome induced by community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA)

Intern Med. 2012;51(21):3085-8. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.51.7295. Epub 2012 Nov 1.

Abstract

We herein report a case of toxic shock syndrome (TSS) associated with the 2009 pandemic H1N1 (pH1N1) influenza virus and a community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) infection in a 16-year-old Vietnamese girl. Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) was detected in the patient's serum, and the level of anti-SEB antibodies was found to be elevated. A flow cytometric analysis showed evidence of activated SEB-reactive Vβ3+ and Vβ12+ T cells. These data suggest that the CA-MRSA-induced activation of SEB-reactive T cells may cause TSS in patients with pH1N1 virus infection. Moreover, this is the first report describing immunological confirmation of SEB contributing directly to TSS in a patient fulfilling the diagnostic criteria of TSS.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / administration & dosage
  • Community-Acquired Infections / drug therapy
  • Community-Acquired Infections / etiology*
  • Community-Acquired Infections / microbiology
  • Enterotoxins / toxicity*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype
  • Influenza, Human / complications
  • Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus*
  • Pneumonia, Staphylococcal / drug therapy
  • Pneumonia, Staphylococcal / etiology
  • Pneumonia, Staphylococcal / microbiology
  • Shock, Septic / drug therapy
  • Shock, Septic / etiology*
  • Shock, Septic / microbiology
  • Staphylococcal Infections / drug therapy
  • Staphylococcal Infections / etiology*
  • Staphylococcal Infections / microbiology

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Enterotoxins
  • enterotoxin B, staphylococcal