Researchers from NYU Langone Medical Center have revealed why one strain of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus — known as hospital-acquired MRSA, or HA-MRSA — is more deadly than other strains.
Following a series of laboratory experiments in mice and in human immune cells, the research team discovered the major difference between HA-MRSA and its less deadly cousin, community-acquired MRSA, comes down to whether a set of dueling toxins are present or absent.
The study specifically found that LUK-PV, a bacterial poison secreted only by CA-MRSA, counteracts the effects of another more deadly toxin called LUK-ED, which is secreted by both forms of the MRSA bacterium.
"Essentially, in community-acquired MRSA, the toxins neutralize each other, while in the hospital superbug form, they do not," explained Victor Torres, PhD, the study's senior investigator and an NYU Langone microbiologist.
According to Dr. Torres, the results of the study challenge the current mindset for finding a vaccine against staphylococcal infections and, in doing so, pave the way to develop an effective vaccine.
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