[Laboratory-based evaluation of PVL-RPLA "Seiken" to detect Panton-Valentine leukocidin produced by Staphylococcus aureus].

It is well known that some isolates of Staphylococcus aureus produce pathogenic toxin, Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL), and that the toxin has been reported to be highly associated with community acquired methicillin resistant S. aureus (CA-MRSA). Currently, the PCR method using specific primers for the PVL gene (LukS-PV-lukF-PV) have been widely used to detect PVL. In this study, we evaluated the PVL-RPLA "Seiken", diagnostic reagent based on a reserved passive latex agglutination reaction with a specific monoclonal antibody for detecting PVL. A total of 630 clinical isolates were used. PCR method detected 34 PVL-positive (28 MRSA and 6 MSSA), and, of these, PVL-RPLA "Seiken" read positive for 32 isolates (27 MRSA and 5 MSSA), the result indicating two false negative occurrences. The concordance rate was 99.7%. In addition the recommended BHI broth, CCY medium, Dolman broth and Todd-Hewitt broth were applied for toxin preparation media. Toxin concentration produced in CCY medium was significantly higher than those in the remaining culture medium (p < 0.05). PVL-RPLA "Seiken" is a method for detecting the PVL in the culture broth by antigen antibody reaction after an overnight shaking culture. This method does not require any expensive equipments or facilities. Thus this reagent provides us with rapid, easy-to-perform, less expensive test method to detect PVL in clinical microbiology laboratories.