Detection of pyrogenic toxins of Staphylococcus aureus in sudden infant death syndrome

It has been suggested that pyrogenic toxins of Staphylococcus aureus are in volved in the series of events leading to some cases of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). The objectives of the study were to screen tissues from S IDS infants for pyrogenic toxins and to compare incidence of identification of these toxins among these infants from different countries. An enzyme-li nked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and a flow cytometry method were used to s creen body fluids and frozen or formalin-fixed tissues for pyrogenic toxins of S. aureus, toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 (TSST), staphylococcal enteroto xins A (SEA), B (SEB), and C-1 (SEC). Toxins were identified in tissues of 33/62 (53%) SIDS infants from three different countries: Scotland (10/19, 5 6%); France (7/13, 55%); Australia (16/30, 53%). In the Australian series, terms were identified in only 3/19 (16%) non-SIDS deaths (chi(2) = 5.42, P < 0.02). The flow cytometry method was useful for toxin detection in both f rozen and fixed tissues, but ELISA was suitable only for frozen tissues or those fixed for less than 12 months. Identification of pyrogenic toxins in >50% of SIDS infants from three different countries indicated further inves tigation into the role the toxins play in cot deaths might result in develo pment of additional measures to reduce further the incidence of: these infa nt deaths. (C) 1999 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Publi shed by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.