Staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome: detection of antibody to epidermolytic toxin by a primary binding assay.

Summary Measurement by radioimmunoassay of the epidermolytic toxin of Staphylococcus aureus and antibodies to epidermolysin was attempted in sera from patients with the staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome. Antibodies to epidermolysin were also measured in sera from normal adults and patients with drug-related toxic epidermal necrolysis. Epidermolysin was not detectable by radioimmunoassay (in the range of 5-100 ng/ml), radial immunodiffusion or bioassay in newborn mice. Antibodies to epidermolysin were detectable in sera from patients in all three groups studied, but there was a significant increase in the amount of antibody in convalescent, compared to acute phase sera, only in the patients with the staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome. We propose that neutralizing antibodies play a major role in termination or prevention of the staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome.