Community-acquired Staphylococcus aureus necrotizing pneumonia secreting Panton-Valentine leukocidin in an infant

Staphylococcus aureus (SA) necrotizing pneumonia secreting Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) has a high mortality rate, approximately 50% according to recent data, mainly in children and young adults. Recently, 2 cases of the disease have been reported in newborn twins with a good outcome. We report a third case of community-acquired necrotizing pneumonia due to SA sensitive to methicillin (SASM) secreting Panton-Valentine leukocidin,(PVL) in an infant, initially paucisymptomatic, in the context of familial furunculosis, with a fatal outcome. Cases of necrotizing pneumonia in this age group are emerging, and extensive information for clinicians is needed clue to the high mortality rate of the disease. (C) 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.