Identification of staphylococcal Panton-Valentine leukocidin as a potent dermonecrotic toxin.

The Panton-Valentine leukocidin of Staphylococcus aureus was shown to exhibit a potent dermonecrotic effect when injected intradermally into rabbits. This effect could be abrogated by immunizing animals with the F component or both components, but immunization with the S component appeared to exacerbate certain of the intradermal responses.