Nonproduction of toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 by coagulase-negative staphylococci.
We tested 187 strains of coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) for the production of toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 (TSST-1). A total of 111 CNS strains were isolated from the tampons of menstruating women and 74 were isolated from unused tampons. Two strains were isolated from the genital tract of a patient with toxic shock syndrome. Strains were cultivated by the membrane-over-agar method to enhance production of TSST-1, and culture supernatants were tested by two exquisitely sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. None of the 187 CNS strains produced TSST-1. We conclude that CNS colonizing the genital tracts of menstruating women and unused tampons produce TSST-1 infrequently, if ever, and are unlikely to play a role in toxic shock syndrome.
D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D003030:Coagulase / Q000378:metabolism; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D052576:Menstrual Hygiene Products; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000382:microbiology*; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D018089:Superantigens; D014621:Vagina / Q000382:microbiology
D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D003030:Coagulase; D004768:Enterotoxins; D018089:Superantigens; C030107:enterotoxin F, Staphylococcal