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According to one report, a Canadian teenager who died during a school trip was suffering from a toxic shock syndrome that appears to stem from the use of tampons. But what is toxic shock syndrome, and why is it related to tampons?
The 16-year-old girl was on a class trip with her classmates to Hornby Island (near Vancouver Island) in March 2017 "feels good and has cramps, according to the local Comox newspaper Valley Record. The next morning, she missed breakfast and was found unanswered in bed. Although the paramedics arrived at the scene, they did not succeed in reviving it.
Doctors performed tests on a tampon that was found and tested positive for bacteria Staphylococcus aureus toxic shock syndrome, according to Comox Valley Record, who cited a coroner's report recently published on the case of the teenager. [5 Myths About Women’s Bodies]
Toxic shock syndrome (TSS) is a rare but potentially fatal condition caused by toxins produced by certain types of bacteria – in particular S. aureus according to the Cleveland Clinic. These bacteria often live on the skin or mucous membranes without causing symptoms, but under good conditions they can grow rapidly and produce toxins.
During the 1970s and early 1980s, there was an increase in toxic shock syndrome that was related to the use of "superabsorbent" buffers. These cases have prompted manufacturers to remove certain types of buffers from the market
TSS and Tampons
Buffers, particularly those that are highly absorbent, can provide the proper growth conditions for bacteria, especially if buffers are left behind longer than "[It’s] almost like a petri dish," said Dr. Michael Cackovic, a specialist in maternal and fetal medicine at the Wexner Medical Center of Ohio State University, who was not involved in the case of the teenager. The superabsorbent pads available in the 1980s "gave the perfect environment for bacteria to spread and release their toxin," Cackovic said.
After the manufacture of some superabsorbent buffers, the rate of TSS in menstruating women decreased. . Today, the rate of TSS in menstruating women is about 1 in every 100,000 women, Cackovic told Live Science.
The condition most often occurs in women ages 15 to 25 who use tampons, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Younger women are less likely to have antibodies against S. aureus, which may partly explain why younger women have a higher rate of the syndrome, Cackovic said.
It is important to note that tampons are not the only cause of TSS and that the condition only affects women using tampons; men, children and menopausal women can also develop the syndrome. Other risk factors for TSS include skin infections, surgical wounds, burns, delivery, and the use of packaging to stop nosebleeds, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Today, about half of all cases of TSS occur in menstruating women.
SST usually causes sudden symptoms that may resemble flu, including sudden high fever and chills, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, and vertigo. The condition can also cause a widespread rash that looks like a sunburn. Serious complications can include organ damage – such as kidney and liver failure – and death, the NIH said.
To prevent TSS, the Cleveland Clinic recommends changing the tampons at least every 4 to 8 hours. your period, using tampons instead of buffers at night, and passing tampons to tampons every other day or during periods of heaviest menstrual flow.
Original article on Live Science .
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