The Wadsworth Center’s Bacterial Diseases Laboratory recently provided urgent diagnostic support in a severe pediatric infection case involving suspected Staphylococcal Scalded Skin Syndrome (SSSS).
A methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus isolate was submitted from a child with an aggressive skin infection so extensive that it required care in a burn unit. By the time the isolate was received, the infection had also spread to family members, including a sibling who was subsequently hospitalized.
Recognizing the severity of the case, the laboratory prioritized rapid testing. On the day of sample receipt, staff performed a panel of real-time PCR assays targeting antimicrobial resistance genes and virulence factors. Within four hours, the isolate was confirmed positive for both the exfoliative toxin A and exfoliative toxin B genes. These toxins are key virulence factors responsible for Staphylococcal Scalded Skin Syndrome, a condition characterized by localized or widespread skin blistering and desquamation, which leaves the skin vulnerable to secondary infections and fluid loss.
This case underscores the critical role of rapid molecular diagnostics in the management of severe staphylococcal infections and highlights the Wadsworth Center’s capacity to respond swiftly to urgent public health needs, especially when vulnerable pediatric patients are involved.