Preventing lung pathology and mortality in rabbit Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia models with cytotoxin-neutralizing monoclonal IgGs penetrating the epithelial lining fluid.

Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia is associated with high mortality irrespective of antibiotic susceptibility. Both MRSA and MSSA strains produce powerful cytotoxins: alpha-hemolysin(Hla) and up to five leukocidins - LukSF-PV, HlgAB, HlgCB, LukED and LukGH (LukAB) - to evade host innate defense mechanisms. Neutralizing cytotoxins has been shown to provide survival benefit in rabbit S.