Posted on 01/28/2007 4:09:37 PM PST by blam
Source: Texas A&M Health Science Center
Date: January 28, 2007
Bacteria In Staph Infections Can Cause Necrotizing Pneumonia
Science Daily — Researchers at the Texas A&M Health Science Center Institute of Biosciences and Technology at Houston have discovered a toxin present in the bacteria responsible for the current nationwide outbreak of staph infections also has a role in an aggressive pneumonia that is often fatal within 72 hours.
"The virulence of CA-MRSA (community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) strains that produce the PVL (Panton Valentine leukocidin) toxin presents a nightmare scenario," said M. Gabriela Bowden, Ph.D., research assistant professor at HSC-IBT and co-senior author. "If the community-acquired strain establishes itself in the hospital setting, it will be difficult to contain."
The most common cause of staph infections, S. aureus is a bacteria found on the skin or in the nose of about 25-30 percent of people. It also can be the culprit in minor skin infections like pimples and boils, as well as major diseases like meningitis, endocarditis, toxic shock syndrome and pneumonia.
In their study, Dr. Bowden and her colleagues at the HSC-IBT Center for Extracellular Matrix Biology used mice to analyze S. aureus Panton Valentine leukocidin (PVL), a pore-forming toxin secreted by bacterial strains associated with both the current outbreak of CA-MRSA and necrotizing pneumonia.
CA-MRSA causes serious skin and soft tissue infections in healthy persons who have not been recently hospitalized or undergone invasive medical procedures, while necrotizing pneumonia destroys healthy lung tissue and can be fatal within 72 hours. With the PVL toxin, the bacterium also attacks infection-fighting white blood cells (leukocytes).
In the 1940s, the high mortality rate from S. aureus was abated by penicillin, but the bacteria soon developed a resistance. Methicillin provided new treatment options for infections in the late 1950s, but as of the late 1990s, it has become resistant.
In December, the United Kingdom had its first documented report of fatal necrotizing pneumonia cases caused by PVL-positive CA-MRSA. Eight hospitalized patients developed infections from CA-MRSA, and two died. It was previously believed the hospitals were free of these virulent strains of CA-MRSA.
Testing several bacterial strains, the HSC-IBT researchers learned PVL itself has an enhanced ability to disrupt cells in the body, and PVL-positive S. aureus has a greater capacity to attach to and colonize the lung, the latter resulting in necrotizing pneumonia.
"Our research shows in vivo that PVL is sufficient to cause pneumonia," Dr. Bowden said. "PVL-producing S. aureus overexpress other factors that enhance inflammation and bacterial attachment to the lung. These combined effects result in a vicious cycle of tissue destruction and inflammation, explaining the rapid onset and lethal outcome of this type of pneumonia."
Using these findings, the next step is additional studies to identify targets for potential development of therapies to treat S. aureus infections, including the PVL-positive strain.
"The present study underscores the aggressiveness of these strains and the urgent need to develop new strategies to battle these infections," Dr. Bowden said.
Other Science Express study contributors from the Center for Extracellular Matrix Biology were Magnus Höök, Ph.D., director and professor; Eric Brown, Ph.D., assistant professor (now at The University of Texas School of Public Health at Houston); Maria Labanderia-Rey, postdoctoral fellow; Vanessa Vazquez, graduate student; and Elena Barbu, graduate student. Florence Couzon, Sandrine Boisset, Michele Bes, Yvonne Benito, Jerome Etienne and François Vandenesch from the University of Lyon and Hospices Civils de Lyon (France) also contributed.
Grants from the HSC, French Ministry of Research, National Institutes of Health, and Neva and Wesley West and Hamill Foundations supported this research.
The Texas A&M Health Science Center provides the state with health education, outreach and research. Its six components located in communities throughout Texas are Baylor College of Dentistry, the College of Medicine, the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, the Institute of Biosciences and Technology, the Irma Lerma Rangel College of Pharmacy, and the School of Rural Public Health.
Note: This story has been adapted from a news release issued by Texas A&M Health Science Center.
ping
Well, if I remember it there was a red swollen circle at first. I thought it was a spider bite at first, and I went to the emergency room thinking it was just that. But the doc said it was staph. Touching it was painful.
I am so sorry about your brother.
We are not young, but have never been seriously sick, and didn't even have a regular doctor until we found out that my husband has cancer. I had no clue as to the seriousness of this infection. I do NOW!
YOu bet!
Let em laugh! They're the silly ones.
Drive me crazy - soap and water is the answer!
"I also use a lye soap my friend makes for cleaning and regular store brand bleach."
I will check up on lye soap. I don't know much about it.
Bleach I use ALLOT!
Oh, that sounds awful!
Hope he's okay now.
Carolyn
It saved my cat's life last summer. Freedom had an open wound on his back leg (still not sure how it happened), that got infected. He would get a little better then it would get worse, about 3 weeks after the injury he stopped eating and drinking.
It was Wednesday and I thought he'd be dead by the weekend. My mom suggested using silver so we put some in a spray bottle and coated the whole leg. He licked it of course so he had it both internal and external. We just kept applying it every few hours.
He was fine in just a few days and eating and gaining back his weight and fur he lost.
Today he is his usual self but now back indoors for good. He has two rat terrors to play with and torment by flicking his tail.
Can find online and some people even make their own for which directions can also can be found online.
The higher the ppm the better.
One of the vitamin companies had a buy 2 get 4 free sale and we were thinking of getting some but then I saw that it had a low ppm count.The lower ppm's would probably make a good mouth wash or for more frequent uses, just as long as you get a good deal on it.
Silver is becoming popular again, there are products like bandaids, toothbrushes and even a washing machine that uses silver.
The only thing to remember is DON'T abuse it by going overboard and using more than needed as your skin can turn a blue/silver color if it builds up.
That reminds me of someone I know that uses WD-40 for a skin rash.
You said -- "I had the CHILLS like you wouldn't believe. I felt like I was DRUNK. I couldn't take my daughter to school - I was that off balance. My head felt like someone beat it all night. It was awful."
Ahhh..., so it got into the inner ear, or affected it in some way. I'm glad it cleared up. It sounds like scary stuff -- but -- I really don't see what people can do about it, in the way of prevention. It appears that it's everywhere, with a bunch of people just carrying it around (not affecting them).
Talking about being awful, the most awful I've been was when i got the Norwalk virus last summer (three of us in the family did, within hours of each other). It happened after a trip to the fair. I've never been that sick before. That was real wicked stuff. But, at least it wasn't life threatening (although it felt like it).
There's a lot of nasty stuff out there. And our medicines are struggling, these days, with all of it. We're going to be back in the dark ages, pretty soon, with our medicines.
Regards,
Star Traveler
I have a list of thing WD-40 works on. It amazed me. From using it on bait to attract fish to all kinds of things. I sent you the list. ~~Pandora~~
I began using white when I realized that the anti-acne wash that my kids were using was discoloring and bleaching my colored towels anyway.
btt
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