egc -Encoded Superantigens from Staphylococcus aureus Are Neutralized by Human Sera Much Less Efficiently than Are Classical Staphylococcal Enterotoxins or Toxic Shock Syndrome Toxin

Abstract excerpt

PCR was employed to determine the presence of all known superantigen genes (sea, seq, and tst) and of the exotoxin-like gene cluster (set) in 40 Staphylococcus aureus isolates from blood cultures and throat swabs; 28 isolates harbored superantigen genes, five on average, and this strictly correlated with their ability to stimulate T-cell proliferation. In contrast, the set gene cluster was detected in every S....