Host Determinants for the Spread of Panton-Valentine Leukocidin–Positive <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> in Sub-Saharan Africa
The Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) of Staphylococcus aureus can be associated with severe and recurrent skin and soft tissue infections. The prevalence of PVL is particularly high in sub-Saharan Africa. We assessed, in a multicenter cross-sectional study, whether host-related factors could explain this high PVL prevalence. We found higher serum anti-PVL-IgG levels in participants from Africa (Gabon, Nigeria, Congo) as compared with Europe (Germany). PVL-induced cytolysis of neutrophils was higher in Africans and linked to a polymorphism of the C5a receptor (rs11880097 T/G), the cellular target of the lukS subunit of PVL. The inflammasome response of monocytes to PVL is shifted toward IL-1β and IL-8 in Africans, while Europeans have a stronger IL-18 response. Thus, African neutrophils are more susceptible to PVL, and monocytes exert a stronger Th1 immune response, eventually increasing the risk of tissue damage (eg, due to a stronger recruitment of neutrophils via IL-1β and IL-8) in PVL-positive S aureus skin and soft tissue infections in Africans.
Authors
- Christiane Sidonie Gouleu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0001-8680-2332)
- Bettina Löffler (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-6792-9328)
- Anke Siegmund
- Tomiwa Olumide Adesoji
- Viktoria Rudolf (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0005-5527-5866)
- Frieder Schaumburg (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9168-9290)
- Francine Ntoumi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4748-050X)
- Tobias Grebe (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6456-1240)
- Thirumalaisamy P. Velavan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9809-9883)
- Le Thi Kieu Linh
- Silke Niemann (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9807-2541)
- Adebayo Shittu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3992-4123)
- Claujens Chastel Mfoutou Mapanguy (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1408-4765)
- Ayôla Akim Adégnika (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3197-5946)
- Mary Oladokun
Institutions
- Duy Tan University (VN)
- University of Münster (DE)
- Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (PH)
- Centre de Recherche Médicales de Lambaréné (GA)
- Fondation Congolaise Pour La Recherche Médicale (CG)
- German Center for Infection Research (DE)
- Jena University Hospital (DE)
- Vietnamese - German Center of Excellence in Medical Research (VN)
- Obafemi Awolowo University (NG)
- Marien Ngouabi University (CG)
- University of Tübingen (DE)
Publication Details
- Journal
- The Journal of Infectious Diseases
- Published
- 2025-05-31
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jiaf289
- Primary Topic
- Antimicrobial Resistance in Staphylococcus
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00