Disease caused by Staphylococcus aureus which is not mediated through a toxin is
(A) Food poisoning (B) Septicemic shock (C) Toxic shock syndrome (D) Staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome
(B) Answer- B. Septicemic shockSepticemia is mainly due to endotoxin like activity as seen in Gram-negative bacilli and not due to exotoxin. Clinically, Staphylococcus aureus sepsis presents like that documented for sepsis due to other bacteria. Septicemic shock is not directly caused due to toxins and other virulence factors play a role like protein A, fibrinolysin and coagulase, which are anti-phagocytic, suppress host immunity and helps in the spread of infection. Septicemia is mainly due to endotoxin tike activity as seen in Gram-negative bacilli and not due to exotoxin. S.aureus produces free types of toxin: cytotoxins, pyrogenic toxin superantigens, and exfoliative toxins. Both epidemiologic data and studies in animals suggest that antitoxin antibodies are protective against illness in TSS' staphylococcal food poisoning, and staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome (SSSS). Illness develops after toxin synthesis and absorption and the subsequent toxin-initiated host response