Which toxin is responsible for the 'scalded skin' appearance in neonates infected with certain strains of Staphylococcus aureus?
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Correct answer: Exfoliative toxins (ETA, ETB)
Staphylococcal Scalded Skin Syndrome (SSSS) is caused by exfoliative toxins. These serine proteases specifically cleave desmoglein-1, a protein responsible for cell-to-cell adhesion in the stratum granulosum of the epidermis.
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