Frequency of superantigen-producing Staphylococcus intermedius isolates from canine pyoderma and proliferation-inducing potential of superantigens in dogs.

This preliminary study investigated the potential role of staphylococcal superantigens in the pathogenesis of canine pyoderma. The staphylococcal enterotoxins A (SEA), SEB, SEC and SED, and the toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1) were assayed in isolates from skins of dogs with pyoderma. Culture supernatants from 25 of 96 isolates were positive for multiple superantigens, with SEA and SEC being the most frequently detected. In in vitro stimulation of canine peripheral blood mononuclear cells and quantitative flow cytometry revealed that low concentrations of SEA and SEB were potent stimulators of blastogenesis of T cells.