[Toxic shock syndrome].

The toxic-shock syndrome (TSS) is a recently recognized syndrome characterized by sudden onset of high fever, vomiting, and diarrhea with rapid progression to hypotension and shock. It is caused by one or more not yet clearly defined exotoxins from staphylococcus aureus. The disease primarily affects young women using tampons during their menstrual periods, although it occurs also in non-menstruating women and in men. In these cases extragenital staphylococcus aureus infections are found. Since 1981 the toxic-shock syndrome associated with menstruation has occurred less frequently, whereas the non-menses-related toxic-shock syndrome appears with similar frequency. The syndrome resembles Kawasaki disease (mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome) in several aspects, namely fever, rash with subsequent desquamation, and cardiovascular involvement. However, shock, which is prominent in toxic-shock syndrome, is not usually seen in Kawasaki disease.