Bacterial disease caused by a toxin produced by the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus .
It was first recognized in 1978 in women using superabsorbent tampons. High fever, diarrhea, vomiting, and rash may progress to abdominal tenderness, drop in blood pressure , shock , respiratory distress, and kidney failure . The syndrome also has other causes, including postsurgical infection. Antibiotic s are not effective. With intensive supportive therapy, most patients recover in 710 days, but 1015% die. Many patients have a milder recurrence within eight months.