Man and woman flu

This article presents two cases of Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia in young adults with evidence of preceding influenza B virus infection. One isolate carried the Panton-Valentine leucocidin (PVL) gene that has been associated with highly lethal necrotizing pneumonia in young immunocompetent patients (Gillet et al, 2002). This provides a timely reminder of one of the complications of influenza, highlights the importance of starting empirical antibiotics active against S. aureus for influenza-associated pneumonia (e.g. during a flu pandemic) and discusses the association of the PVL gene with severe pneumonia