WITH PSORIASIS PREVALENCE OF ENTEROTOXIN PRODUCING STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS AMONG PATIENTS

Abstract

Psoriasis is a common cutaneous inilammatory hyperproliferative disorder. The pathogenesis of psoriasis has yet to be elucidated, but increasing evidence indicates that T-lymphocytes activation is the central feature of the pathogenesis of psoriasis. Because exacerbation of psoriasis has been reported following staphylococcal infections, bacterial derived superantigens are likely candidates for the T-cell activation. In view of the common and wide spread nature of S.aureus

infections in psoriasis, this work dcaled with whether the prevalence of S.aureus producing enterotoxins might play a role in disease induction and/or persistence. This study included sixty patients suffering from different types of psoriasis. Skin swabs were taken from the lesional skin ofthe psoriatic patients as well as from normal persons aiming to isolate S.aureus. S.aureus isolates were then tested for enterotoxin production by latex particles coated with specific rabbit lgG against staphylococcal eriterotoxins A, B, C, and 0 (Oxoid detection test, SET RPLA). A significant difference was observed not only in the percentage of S.aureus carriage between cases and controls (53.3% versus 38%) but also toxin production was significantly greater among isolates from cases than fi•om controls (65.6% versus 27<Ytl). In conclusion, it is believed that bacterial enterotoxins, particularly those of S.aureus, appear to be important triggers of psoriasis and are responsible as superantigens for its exacerbation.