Toxic Shock Syndrome

Every time I purchased tampons I read Toxic Shock Syndrome on the box but never saw the value in furthering my knowledge about it. However, after a lecture where it was briefly brought up along with its intense effects, I decided to interest myself in this infection that has repeatedly crossed my mind. Toxic Shock Syndrome is a dangerous and unstable disease caused by the toxin producing strains of Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes (group A streptococcus).1

The purpose of this study was to determine the type of learning acquisition in dogs that were subjected to three different styles of electric shock. They wanted to determine what method of learning worked the best to avoid a shock for an extended period of time. Each of the three groups of dogs learned escape/avoidance training, however the "escape" group and the "yoked" group gained more training than the normal control group. The "escape" group was taught during their training that touching the side panels during the shock would terminate it. This was repeated 64 times in the harness and the same training was done 10 more times in the shuttle box, 24 hours later. The "yoked"

Humans are a natural reservoir for S. aureus, and asymptomatic colonization is far more common than infection. Young children tend to have higher colonization rates, probably because of their frequent contact with respiratory secretions.

Staphylococcus aureus is the leading cause of skin and soft tissue infections, it can cause serious infections such as bloodstream infection, pneumonia or bone infections. Though it can cause infections it is part of the normal human flora it is mostly found on the skin or in nasal cavities. It is a facultative anaerobic gram positive cocci, it is usually in pairs or clusters. The bacterium is also catalase positive, oxidase

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or more commonly, MRSA, is an emerging infectious disease affecting many people worldwide. MRSA, in particular, is a very interesting disease because although many people can be carriers of it, it generally only affects those with a depressed immune system; this is why it is so prevalent in places like nursing homes and hospitals. It can be spread though surgeries, artificial joints, tubing, and skin-to-skin contact. Although there is not one specific treatment of this disease, there are ways to test what antibiotics work best and sometimes antibiotics aren’t even necessary.

Toxic Shock Syndrome, also known simply as TSS, is a life threatening illness caused by a bacterium called Staphylococcus aureus. TSS was first discovered in children in 1978 (Venkataraman, 2015). After the 1978 discovery, the disease itself was nationally recognized in 1980 when it was seen as a health threat amongst reproductive women. After this epidemic the number of reports of TSS decreased sharply (Hajjeh, 2010). Staphylococcus aureus can be identified as bacteria that, often times will go unnoticed as it usually does not cause any harm. Around 30% of the world?s population carries this bacterium in their noses.

Cardiogenic shock is results from damage to the heart such as a heart attack. In cardiogenic shock the heart is damaged and unable to supply a sufficient amount of blood to the body and the body cells do not receive enough oxygen (Huether & Mccance, 2012). Symptoms of cardiogenic shock are chest pain or pressure, coma, decreased urination, fast breathing, fast pulse, heavy sweating and moist skin, lightheadedness, loss of alertness and ability to concentrate, restlessness, agitation, confusion, shortness of break, skin that feels cool to touch, pale skin color or blotchy skin, and/or weak pulse (Dugdale, Cardiogenic Shock, 2012). Treatment of cardiogenic shock includes medications to increase blood pressure sucj as dobutamine, dopamine, milirione, and more. Urgent treatment includes electrical shock therapy (defibrillation or cardio version), implanting a temporary pacemaker and medications given through the vein, pain medicine, oxygen, fluids, and blood or blood products (Dugdale, Cardiogenic Shock, 2012). Cardiogenic shock

Cardiogenic shock is a life-threatening condition that requires immediate medical care. Treatment helps get blood flowing through your body again. Treatment may include:

aureus. There are many strains that contains various virulence factors. Two important virulence factors that were detailed in research performed by Fitzgerald et al. [6] and Mehrotra et al. [7] were Toxic Shock Syndrome Toxin-1 (TSST-1) and Staphylococcal Enterotoxin C (SEC). Both toxins have been detected in the DNA of some S. aureus strains. Should these strains be transmitted to infants they are most definitely a possible cause of death if actively encoded by the bacteria. These toxins are known to be quick and activate immune response to such a high degree that the patient succumbs to the infection. Various hospital studies have been performed to study transmission by objects, such as that by Grundmannn et al. [8]. These are significant to this study since infants often put items in their mouth that are not always clean and safe for them to contact. The study by Grundmannn et al. [8] also indicated that hospital beds were contaminated with S. aureus which is significant to beds within households that infants may lay in. Introducing rabbit models to contaminated objects such as water bottle tips and bedding will elucidate the transmission routes these items can provide to infants. In SIDS cases, breast fed infants, observed by Highet et al. [9], tested higher for S. aureus than healthy infants did and slightly higher than non-breastfed SIDS cases. In In Aim 1 of this research we plan to elucidate the transmission

normally found on the skin and in the throat, and is a life threatening staphylococcal infection that may arise within hospitals, and “is frequently responsible for abscesses,

Toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1) is a protein encoded by tstH gene (H refers to human isolate) present on the bacterial chromosome within a mobile genetic element called staphylococcal pathogenicity island 1. TSST-1 is translated as a precursor protein with 234 amino acids and secreted after cleavage of 40 amino acids signal sequence located at its amino terminus. The mature protein of TSST-1 is a 22-30 kDa single- chain polypeptide including 194 amino acid residues (Cathleen A.E. et al., 1998; Debra L.M. et al., 1996). The 3D structures of TSST-1 and various mutants are known as they have been crystallized and analyzed by X-ray diffraction. TSST-1 is composed of two domains. Domain A consists of N-terminal α-helix (α-1) (residues 1-17) surrounded by five β-strands (residues 18-89).

Toxic shock syndrome is a rare, life-threatening complication that is the outcome of certain types of bacterial infections. It is caused by the release of poisonous substances due to an overgrowth of the bacteria Streptococcus aureus, or strep, which is found in the bodies of most women. Toxic shock syndrome has historically been associated primarily with the use of superabsorbent tampons. However, due to this fact most manufacturers have pulled certain types of tampons off the market; which has caused the incidence of toxic shock syndrome in menstruating women to decline. Toxic shock syndrome can also affect men, children, and postmenopausal women. Risk factors for toxic shock syndrome include skin wounds and may even lead to surgery. If there is someone at risk for toxic shock syndrome they must look out for the symptoms so they can get immediate medical care.

Doing so could possible lead to a resurgence of this syndrome, which does carry the possibility of death, though it does currently have a relatively low mortality rate. Common symptomology for TSS includes sudden onset of fever, chills, rash, hypotension, renal failure, respiratory failure, blurred vision, malaise, edema, weakness, and changes in mental status. Though some of these symptoms may be similar to those for more common diseases, if one should experience these, it important to seek medical attention as soon as possible and not to brush this aside. This is why it is important to continue to make the public aware of toxic shock syndrome. In order to be diagnosed with TSS one would need to manifest at least five of the following criteria “fever, hypotension, having 3 organs with signs of dysfunction, rash with skin desquamation (i.e., peeling) 1–2 weeks after initial appearance of the rash, negative blood and cerebrospinal cultures for organisms other than S. aureus or S. pyogenes, and negative

Toxic shock syndrome is a serious, possibly life-threatening, complication that occurs as a result of an infection, usually caused by staph or strep bacteria. It is a very rare condition, with only 337 cases appearing in the United States in 2015. Historically, it has often associated with the use of tampons, although its occurrence among menstruating women has dropped since certain tampons have been removed from the market.

The release of two exotoxins from certain strains of S. aureus can lead to Staphylococcal scaled skin syndrome (SSSS), which is characterized by blistering skin. Invasion into the body can lead to more serious health problems including pneumonia (a frequent complication of influenza), mastitis, phlebitis (inflammation of the veins), meningitis, and urinary tract infections. If the bacterium is allowed to colonize even deeper tissues more serious conditions such as osteomyelitis and endocarditis may result. The most serious consequences of these deeper tissue infections occur when the bacterium invades the bloodstream leading to septic shock and possibly death.