Toxic Shock Syndrome

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.

The Staphylococcus aureus bacteria belongs to the Staphylococcaceae family. It is small, round shaped, and non-motile. Staphylococcus aureus stains gram positive and can often be found in small clusters (Mandal, 2010). It often forms chains and is a large contributor of soft tissue infections. It is of a yellow color, hence the name ?aureus? which comes from the Latin term ?aurum? for gold (Orenstein, n.d.). Staphylococcus aureus is found in a few spots on the human body, such as the nasal passage, the skin, the oral cavity, and even the gastrointestinal tract. Staphylococci and Streptococci are two different strands of the bacteria and are very hard to distinguish from one another. In order to tell the difference between them, without a microscope, a catalase test needs to be performed. The test is undergone by adding 3% hydrogen peroxide to both samples. Since Staphylococci are catalase positive, meaning they produce catalase, they will produce O? while the Streptococci will not because Streptococci are catalase negative (Todar, n.d.).

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

How is Toxic Shock caused? Well its is caused by many ways. The first way could be cause is by a bacterial infection. The other way it could be caused would be your body might produce a little much of Staphylococcus Aureus bacterium. Another way could be the use of Tampons for women. The Tampon can scratch the vagina creating an opening for bacteria to get into your bloodstream. The last thing could be women who are menstruating or just had a baby.

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

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).

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"

But S. aureus likes to invade follicles and wounds where it can then cause infection, shock and even death. (Healthcare-associated Infections,

Virulence Factors: The most important virulence factor of S. aureus is the specific surface proteins that allow the organism to attach to host proteins. The surface proteins of this bacterium allow it to attach to host proteins such as laminin and fibronectin, which form the extracellular matrix of epithelial and endothelial cells. S. aureus also produces a number of membrane damaging toxins that allow the organism to further invade and harm the host, of which the alpha- toxin is the most well studied and is the protein responsible for septic shock. The alpha- toxin is a protein that binds to a specific receptor in platelets and monocytes in humans, forming pores that eventually destroy the cell.

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.

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

“About 70% of all American women use tampons. On average, a woman will use between 11,000and 16,000 tampons in her lifetime”(Kounang). Nearly every person born as a biological female experiences menstruation, more commonly referred to as a period, for one week out of the month, with the typical period lasting 7 days and recurring after 28 days. The aforementioned tampons and sanitary pads are the most common devices to combat periods, but there is a general lack of regulation surrounding these products. To make women aware of the products that are an integral part of their daily lives, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) should require companies to list all ingredients in feminine hygiene products, and the FDA should put warnings on products

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

aureus was one of the first publicized bacteria known to have become resistant to penicillin. (Ed. Bonomo and Ed. Tolmasky) In London, just a few years after the introduction of penicillin, strains of staphylococcus appeared that were resistant to penicillin, not simply by keeping it out, but by actually destroying it. (Bunyard) S. aureus caused serious illnesses, such as pneumonia, endocarditis, osteomylitis, and toxic shock syndrome. (Ed. Bonomo and Ed. Tolmasky) The clinical impact of this resistance was staggering; this harmful pathogen had once again become untreatable.

Septic shock results from bacteria that multiply in the blood and then releases toxins that decrease blood pressure, thus, impairing blood flow to cells, tissues and organs. It is an acute infection, usually systemic, that overwhelms the body (toxic shock syndrome) (Huether & Mccance, 2012). This