Immune response to toxic-shock-syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1) and to staphylococcal enterotoxins A, B and C in Staphylococcus aureus infections.

Isolates from 100 monomicrobial Staphylococcus aureus infections were tested for the production of TSST-1 and the enterotoxins A, B and C, which were found to be synthesized as a single toxin in 34 strains, or in combination of two or more toxins in 26. Acute phase sera and one or two further serum samples from 60 patients with toxigenic (either enterotoxins and/or TSST-1) S. aureus isolates were tested for humoral immune responses. Such immune responses occurred more frequently in septicemic than in localized staphylococcal infections, and more frequently against TSST-1 and the other enterotoxins than against enterotoxin A. Furthermore, the data suggest an immunological non-responsiveness to enterotoxin A in a considerable portion of the patients. The retrospective screening of the records of 15 selected patients for symptoms of Toxic-Shock-Syndrome revealed one case of probable TSS.