Early diagnosis of staphylococcal toxic shock syndrome by detection of the TSST-1 Vbeta signature in peripheral blood of a 12-year-old boy

Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2008 Mar;27(3):274-7. doi: 10.1097/INF.0b013e31815c93a3.

Abstract

We report the case of a 12-year-old boy who developed staphylococcal toxic shock syndrome associated with S. aureus pharyngeal colonization or infection. The diagnosis was rapidly confirmed by detecting the Vbeta signature of the toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 in peripheral blood, based on transient T cell depletion rapidly followed by massive expansion of Vbeta 2-positive T cells.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Toxins / immunology*
  • Child
  • Early Diagnosis
  • Enterotoxins / immunology*
  • Humans
  • Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology
  • Male
  • Shock, Septic / diagnosis*
  • Shock, Septic / immunology
  • Staphylococcal Infections / diagnosis*
  • Staphylococcal Infections / immunology
  • Superantigens / immunology*
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology*

Substances

  • Bacterial Toxins
  • Enterotoxins
  • Superantigens
  • enterotoxin F, Staphylococcal