Staphylococcal Enterotoxin B and Related Pyrogenic Toxins

CLINICAL DISEASE Fever and Myalgia Respiratory Signs and Symptoms Headache 

Microbiologist, Department of Immunology and Molecular Biology, Toxinology Division, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland 21702-5011 

Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) is one of seven enterotoxins produced by strains of Staphylococcus aureus. SEB, the best understood of the staphylococcal enterotoxins, can be regarded as the type enterotoxin. Staphylococcal enterotoxins, toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1), and certain other bacterial products (such as streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxins [SPE]) and viral products (which are not discussed in this chapter) are commonly referred to as superantigens because of their profound effects on the immune system. Minute concentrations of superantigens can activate the immune system receptors because they bind with strong avidity to T-cell antigen receptors and class II molecules of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). 

The staphylococcal enterotoxins are the most frequent cause of food poisoning. However, more severe physiological consequences, such as a life-threatening toxic shock-like syndrome, may result 

The staphylococcal and streptococcal toxins with superantigen-like properties are 23- to 29-kilodalton (kd) proteins (referred to here as pyrogenic toxins) that can be categorized into three distinct amino acid-sequence homology groups2  

---

R. G. Ulrich et al., Staphylococcal enterotoxin B and related pyrogenic toxins, in E R. Sidell et al. (eds), Medical Aspects of Chemical and Biological Warfare (Washington, DC Office of the Surgeon General, US Army, 1997), pp.621-30. 

---