Editing Staphylococcus aureus (section)

=== Toxins ===

Depending on the strain, ''S. aureus'' is capable of secreting several [[exotoxin]]s, which can be categorized into three groups.  Many of these toxins are associated with specific diseases.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Dinges MM, Orwin PM, Schlievert PM | title = Exotoxins of ''Staphylococcus aureus'' | journal = Clinical Microbiology Reviews | volume = 13 | issue = 1 | pages = 16–34, table of contents | date = January 2000 | pmid = 10627489 | pmc = 88931 | doi = 10.1128/cmr.13.1.16 }}</ref>

;Superantigens
:[[Antigen]]s known as [[superantigen]]s can induce [[toxic shock syndrome]] (TSS). This group comprises 25 staphylococcal [[enterotoxins]] (SEs) which have been identified to date and named alphabetically (SEA–SEZ),<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Etter D, Schelin J, Schuppler M, Johler S | title = Staphylococcal Enterotoxin C-An Update on SEC Variants, Their Structure and Properties, and Their Role in Foodborne Intoxications | journal = Toxins | volume = 12 | issue = 9 | pages = 584 | date = September 2020 | pmid = 32927913 | pmc = 7551944 | doi = 10.3390/toxins12090584 | doi-access = free }}</ref> including [[enterotoxin type B]] as well as the toxic shock syndrome toxin [[TSST-1]] which causes TSS associated with [[tampon]] use.  Toxic shock syndrome is characterized by [[fever]], [[erythema|erythematous rash]], [[Hypotension|low blood pressure]], [[Shock (circulatory)|shock]], [[Multiple organ dysfunction syndrome|multiple organ failure]], and [[desquamation|skin peeling]].  Lack of antibody to TSST-1 plays a part in the pathogenesis of TSS. Other strains of ''S. aureus'' can produce an [[enterotoxin]] that is the causative agent of a type of [[Gastroenteritis#Bacterial|gastroenteritis]]. This form of gastroenteritis is self-limiting, characterized by vomiting and diarrhea 1–6 hours after ingestion of the toxin, with recovery in 8 to 24 hours. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and major abdominal pain.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Jarraud S, Peyrat MA, Lim A, Tristan A, Bes M, Mougel C, Etienne J, Vandenesch F, Bonneville M, Lina G | title = egc, a highly prevalent operon of enterotoxin gene, forms a putative nursery of superantigens in ''Staphylococcus aureus'' | journal = Journal of Immunology | volume = 166 | issue = 1 | pages = 669–677 | date = January 2001 | pmid = 11123352 | doi = 10.4049/jimmunol.166.1.669 | doi-access = free }}</ref><ref name=becker/>

{{anchor|Exfoliative toxins}}
;Exfoliative toxins
{{See also|Exfoliatin}}
: [[Exfoliatin|Exfoliative toxins]] are exotoxins implicated in the disease [[staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome]] (SSSS), which occurs most commonly in infants and young children. It also may occur as epidemics in hospital nurseries. The [[protease]] activity of the exfoliative toxins causes peeling of the skin observed with SSSS.<ref name=becker>{{cite journal | vauthors = Becker K, Friedrich AW, Lubritz G, Weilert M, Peters G, Von Eiff C | title = Prevalence of genes encoding pyrogenic toxin superantigens and exfoliative toxins among strains of ''Staphylococcus aureus'' isolated from blood and nasal specimens | journal = Journal of Clinical Microbiology | volume = 41 | issue = 4 | pages = 1434–9 | date = April 2003 | pmid = 12682126 | pmc = 153929 | doi = 10.1128/jcm.41.4.1434-1439.2003 }}</ref>

;Other toxins
: Staphylococcal toxins that act on cell membranes include [[Staphylococcus aureus alpha toxin|alpha toxin]], [[Staphylococcus aureus beta toxin|beta toxin]], [[Staphylococcus aureus delta toxin|delta toxin]], and several bicomponent toxins. Strains of ''S. aureus'' can host [[phage]]s, such as the [[prophage]] Φ-PVL that produces [[Panton-Valentine leukocidin]] (PVL), to increase [[virulence]]. The bicomponent toxin PVL is associated with severe necrotizing pneumonia in children.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Lina G, Piémont Y, Godail-Gamot F, Bes M, Peter MO, Gauduchon V, Vandenesch F, Etienne J | title = Involvement of Panton-Valentine leukocidin-producing ''Staphylococcus aureus'' in primary skin infections and pneumonia | journal = Clinical Infectious Diseases | volume = 29 | issue = 5 | pages = 1128–32 | date = November 1999 | pmid = 10524952 | doi = 10.1086/313461 | doi-access = free }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Gillet Y, Issartel B, Vanhems P, Fournet JC, Lina G, Bes M, Vandenesch F, Piémont Y, Brousse N, Floret D, Etienne J | title = Association between ''Staphylococcus aureus'' strains carrying gene for Panton-Valentine leukocidin and highly lethal necrotising pneumonia in young immunocompetent patients | journal = Lancet | volume = 359 | issue = 9308 | pages = 753–9 | date = March 2002 | pmid = 11888586 | doi = 10.1016/S0140-6736(02)07877-7 | s2cid = 20400336 }} As [http://reannecy.org/documents/Reanimation_Bibliographie/INFECTIOLOGIE/INFECTION%20PAR%20GERMES/BACTERIES/STAPH/2002%20PNP%20necrosante%20et%20panton%20valentine%20lancet.pdf PDF] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714163825/http://reannecy.org/documents/Reanimation_Bibliographie/INFECTIOLOGIE/INFECTION%20PAR%20GERMES/BACTERIES/STAPH/2002%20PNP%20necrosante%20et%20panton%20valentine%20lancet.pdf |date=14 July 2014 }}</ref> The genes encoding the components of PVL are encoded on a [[bacteriophage]] found in community-associated MRSA strains.{{citation needed|date=February 2017}}