Epidemiology of antibiotic susceptibility and leucotoxin production by Staphylococcus aureus isolates in West Africa.

Objectives - Antibiotic susceptibility and leucotoxin production analyzed f or 414 consecutive and independent Staphylococcus aureus strains collected in Benin, Ivory Coast, and Togo. Results - Among the various infections due to Staphylococcus aureus, genera lly diagnosed at an advanced stage, genitourinary infections are very frequ ent (43%). Although strains producing the LukE/LukD leucotoxin were as freq uent (29%) as in Europe, those producing the Panton-Valentine leucocidin we re significantly more frequent in Africa (30% versus 2% in Strasbourg, Fran ce) (p < 0.001). Comments - This observation raises the question of the clinical expression of some Staphylococcus aureus infections in Africa. Pulsed-field gel electr ophoresis from the Smal-macrorestriction of fetal DNA demonstrated polymorp hism of Panton-Valentine leucocidin-producing strains and their non-epidemi c spreading. This study centered on Staphylococcus aureus might help to dev elop hygiene and hospital care in these countries. (C) 1999 Editions scient ifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.