Open AccessErythrogenic toxins A,B and C: Occurrence of the genes and exotoxin formation from clinical Streptococcus pyogenes strains associated with streptococcal toxic shock‐like syndrome
Author(s) -
Reichardt Werner,
MüllerAlouf Heide,
Alouf Joseph E.,
Köhler Werner
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1992.tb14058.x
Subject(s) - streptococcus pyogenes , exotoxin , microbiology and biotechnology , toxic shock syndrome , streptococcus , biology , streptococcaceae , group a , gene , toxin , genetics , bacteria , medicine , antibiotics , staphylococcus aureus
We report the study of 53 clinical isolates of group A streptococci, all from patients with streptococcal toxic shock‐like syndrome. The strains were analysed for the occurence of the genes of erythrogenic toxins (pyrogenic exotoxins) types A, B and C and in vitro production of these toxins. In contrast to reports indicating that 85% of the toxic shock‐like syndrome‐associated isolates contained the erythrogenic toxin A gene, only 58.5% of our strains harboured this gene. The erythrogenic toxin C gene was detected in 22.6% of the isolates. Erythrogenic toxin A and erythrogenic toxin B were produced by 68.7% and 58.3% of the strains containing either gene. For all group A streptococci, irrespective of clinical association, the erythrogenic toxin B gene was detected in all isolates tested. Thus, it is difficult to define a specific role for erythrogenic toxin B in toxic shock‐like syndrome as there was no clear correlation between this disease and the presence of toxin genes. Our results suggest the existence of other pathogenic factor(s) produced by group A streptococci which may stimulate human peripheral T lymphocytes in a manner similar to that of erythrogenic toxins, thus explaining different observations in previous epidemiological genetic studies.