TOXIC SHOCK SYNDROME

disease first described in 1978 and characterized by high fever, headache, diarrhea, vomiting, irritability, sore throat, and rash. Abdominal tenderness, severe hypotension, shock, respiratory distress, and renal failure sometimes develop. The condition has been ascribed to a newly recognized exotoxinthat is, a toxin formed by bacteria, in this case, Staphylococcus aureus. At the time of its identification the disease was associated primarily with menstruating women who used tampons. Scientists later found that several types of highly absorbent material (polyacrylate rayon and polyester foam), which are no longer used in tampons, latch onto magnesium from the body. The higher the absorbancy the greater the risk. The resulting low-magnesium environment promoted the bacterial production of toxin. Toxic shock syndrome has been reported in men as well as women and was found to be linked to a broad range of causes, including postsurgical infections. Because there is no effective antibiotic, treatment consists primarily of intensive support therapy. Most patients recover in 7 to 10 days; the mortality rate is 1015 percent. In many patients the syndrome recurs up to eight months later but often in a milder form.