A rapidly fatal case of Panton-valentine leukocidin positive Staphylococcus aureus necrotizing pneumonia in an HIV-infected patient.

This article reports a rare case of necrotizing pneumonia caused by Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) positive Staphylococcus aureus in an HIV-infected patient presenting with severe back pain and rash. The back pain progressed to excruciating abdominal pain which was misleading, resulting in an investigation on intraabdominal conditions. He developed massive hemoptysis and died within 2 days of the first clinical symptoms. Recognizing the emergence of PVL-producing S. aureus is important in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients. This organism was transmitted from his wife.