What is it?
Although TSS was most in the news in the early eighties, it is still a real problem which causes death today. To date in the United States 2,700 women have suffered the condition with about ten new reports coming into the Centers for Diseases Control each week. And this is just in the USA. Of the total number reported, about 120 have died in the US alone -a fatality rate of nearly five per cent. Clearly it is a problem worth taking seriously.
TSS is a condition which occurs mainly in menstruating women. It has, however, occurred in non-menstruating women, and even in men and children.
What causes it?
TSS occurs when the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus proliferates in the vagina when menstrual blood is dammed up by a tampon. The more absorbent the tampon, the greater the risk of developing TSS. One theory is that super-absorbent tampons dry out the vaginal lining and cause minute cracks to appear in the vaginal wall. Bacteria may then enter the bloodstream through the cracks.
Once diagnosed, TSS can be treated with penicillin and the outlook is excellent. The signs and symptoms of the disease are a sudden high fever, vomiting, diarrhea, a skin rash and a fall in blood pressure.
Recently the contraceptive sponge has been linked to TSS. Among 600,000 American women using the sponge there have been twelve confirmed cases of TSS. None has proved fatal. Understandably, those involved with this method of contraception point out that the chances of getting TSS when using it are less than being struck by lightning.
• Use sanitary towels rather than tampons.
• If you decide to use tampons, change them frequently-at least 6-8 hourly-and
• Choose a low-absorbency tampon. Some of the regular brands of certain makes are as absorbent as the ‘highly-absorbent’ brands of others. There is a suggestion in the US that the FDA require tampons to be labeled with their absorbency.
• When inserting a tampon, do not scratch the vaginal lining. When you are not naturally lubricated, use a little KY jelly or something similar. Favour a tampon with a rounded end and possibly one without an applicator.
• If you use the contraceptive sponge, follow the manufacturer’s directions. Don’t use the sponge during a period or immediately after childbirth. Never leave it in place for more than 24 hours.
• If ever you develop a high fever with vomiting, diarrhea and a rash, tell your family doctor at once.
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