Pediatric antibody response to community-acquired Staphylococcus aureus infection is directed to Panton-Valentine leukocidin.

We examined the antibody responses of pediatric patients infected with community-associated Staphylococcus aureus isolates. The data show that patients infected with Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL)-positive strains developed a dominant immunoglobulin G anti-PVL antibody response that correlates with markers of inflammation.