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Multicenter Study
. 2025 Nov 14;232(5):1119-1127.
doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiaf289.

Host Determinants for the Spread of Panton-Valentine Leukocidin-Positive Staphylococcus aureus in Sub-Saharan Africa

Tobias Grebe  1 , Viktoria Rudolf  1 , Christiane Sidonie Gouleu  2 , Tomiwa Olumide Adesoji  3 , Claujens Chastel Mfoutou Mapanguy  4   5 , Mary Oladokun  3 , Anke Siegmund  6 , Le Thi Kieu Linh  7   8 , Silke Niemann  1 , Bettina Löffler  6 , Ayola Akim Adegnika  2   7 , Francine Ntoumi  4   5 , Thirumalaisamy P Velavan  7   8   9   10 , Adebayo Osagie Shittu  3 , Frieder Schaumburg  1
Affiliations
Multicenter Study

Host Determinants for the Spread of Panton-Valentine Leukocidin-Positive Staphylococcus aureus in Sub-Saharan Africa

Tobias Grebe et al. J Infect Dis. .

Abstract

The Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) of Staphylococcus aureus can be associated with severe and recurrent skin and soft tissue infections. The prevalence of PVL is particularly high in sub-Saharan Africa. We assessed, in a multicenter cross-sectional study, whether host-related factors could explain this high PVL prevalence. We found higher serum anti-PVL-IgG levels in participants from Africa (Gabon, Nigeria, Congo) as compared with Europe (Germany). PVL-induced cytolysis of neutrophils was higher in Africans and linked to a polymorphism of the C5a receptor (rs11880097 T/G), the cellular target of the lukS subunit of PVL. The inflammasome response of monocytes to PVL is shifted toward IL-1β and IL-8 in Africans, while Europeans have a stronger IL-18 response. Thus, African neutrophils are more susceptible to PVL, and monocytes exert a stronger Th1 immune response, eventually increasing the risk of tissue damage (eg, due to a stronger recruitment of neutrophils via IL-1β and IL-8) in PVL-positive S aureus skin and soft tissue infections in Africans.

Keywords: Staphylococcus aureus; Panton-Valentine leukocidin; inflammasome; polymorphonuclear neutrophils; sub-Saharan Africa.

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Conflict of interest statement

Potential conflicts of interest. All authors: No reported conflicts.

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