A Case of Fatal Community-Acquired Necrotizing Pneumonia Caused by Panton-Valentine Leukocidin Positive Methicillin-Sensitive Staphylococcus Aureus

The expression of Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) has been implicated as a virulence factor for communityacquired Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia with most reported cases involving methicillin-resistant strains. Here we describe a case of community-acquired, PVL-positive methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) sufficiently virulent to cause rapidly progressive necrotizing pneumonia, massive pulmonary hemorrhage, sepsis, and death in a patient without conventional risk factors (diabetes, advanced age). To our knowledge, this is the first case report of a fatal necrotizing pneumonia caused by PVL-positive MSSA in Los Angeles County.