The objective of the study was the identification of the role of the toxin in community-acquired skin infections caused by S. aureus.

Patients and Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of 112 patients with the diagnosis of skin infections caused by S. aureus. Frequency of PVL was investigated by PCR for the lukSF gene. Risk factors and severity of the disease

were analyzed. Baf-A1 mouse Further-more, spa typing was done in 55 of the isolated S. aureus.

Results: PVL occurred in 45 % of patients with skin infections caused by methicillin-susceptible S. aureus; methicillin-resistant strains were positive in 63 %. Mean age was 30.9 years in PVL-positive infections and thus statistically highly significantly lower than in PVL-negative infections. There was no correlation between PARP assay presence of PVL and severity and course of skin infections or presence of special risk factors. The spa types showed a high variability in PVL-positive as well as in PVL-negative strains.

Conclusions: In our study the PVL status of S. aureus isolated from skin infections was neither correlated with methicillin-resistance nor with the severity of disease. Remarkably, PVL-positive S. aureus strains appeared to be more frequent in younger than in older patients. Our results

demonstrate that routine determination of PVL status is not required since the outcome has no diagnostic or therapeutic consequences in daily dermatological practice.”
“Objective. The objective of this study was to assess temporomandibular joint (TMJ) abnormalities in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) by longitudinal radiographic examinations from childhood to adulthood.

Study design. LEE011 solubility dmso Radiographic TMJ evaluations of 60 JIA patients

were obtained at baseline (mean age 8.6 years, mean disease duration 3.2 years) and 1 to 3 times thereafter, with the final examination on average 27 years after baseline. A radiographic grading system for severity of TMJ abnormality was applied.

Results. Cumulative radiographic TMJ abnormalities increased from baseline to final examination (42% to 75%, P < .001), as did bilateral TMJ involvement (60% to 82%, P < .001). Of patients with TMJ abnormalities, 53% showed progression, and 16% revealed signs of improvement. TMJ abnormalities were associated with physical limitations at baseline and reduced well-being and more extensive joint involvement at the final examination.

Conclusion. The frequency of TMJ abnormalities in JIA was high and increased from childhood to adulthood. Although progression of TMJ abnormalities was the general rule, near normalization also occurred on occasion.