Prompt and Successful Toxin-Targeting Treatment of Three Patients with Necrotizing Pneumonia Due to Staphylococcus aureus Strains Carrying the Panton-Valentine Leukocidin Genes

Three patients with extensive necrotizing pneumonia due to Panton-Valentine leukocidin-positive Staphylococcus aureus strains and with aggravating factors (leukopenia count of less than 3 x 10(9)/liter in all three cases and hemoptysis in two cases) were successfully treated with toxin-suppressing agents introduced rapidly after hospital admission.