Tampons and toxic shock syndrome [1]

Abstract

An editorial by Suzanne M Garland and Margaret M Peel (MJA 1995; 163: 8–9) emphasised the need for accurate and non‐alarmist information about tampons and toxic shock syndrome. It described the syndrome and the criteria by which it is diagnosed (reproduced in the Box). It also discussed the causative organism, Staphylococcus aureus, and toxin production, citing considerable evidence which refutes the suggestion that the composition of currently available tampons is important, drawing attention instead to the role of oxygen in toxin production and hence the importance of low tampon absorbency and small size.