A 66-year-old man comes to the physician for a 2-day history of high fever and severe perineal pain. Physical examination shows darkening of the skin of the perineum and crepitus. He has a 30-year history of type II diabetes mellitus and hypertension managed with multiple medications. Vitals are: temperature 103 F, HR 80, RR 20, BP 150/90. A gram stain of the causal organism is shown.
Which of the following is the most likely explanation for this patient’s findings?
Coagulase
Exotoxin A
Lecithinase
Lipid A
Lipoteichoic acid
