Panton‐Valentine Leukocidin‐Producing Methicillin‐Sensitive<i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>as a Cause for Recurrent, Contagious Skin Infections in Young, Healthy Travelers Returned From a Tropical Country: A New Worldwide Public Health Problem?

Abstract

Skin infections associated with visits to tropical countries are well known. In most of the cases, the infection is caused by Staphylococcus aureus. After a sufficient antibiotic treatment, the skin infections resolve without any sequelae. But several patients suffer from recurrent skin infections. Panton‐Valentine leukocidin (PVL) is a cytotoxin produced by S aureus, which is associated with severe necrotic skin lesions and with a high contagiosity.