Toxic shock syndrome: relation to catamenial products, personal health and hygiene, and sexual practices.
In 1980, the discovery of an association between vaginal tampon use and toxic shock syndrome affected the lifestyles of menstruating women and the catamenial products industry. It made both the general public and the medical community more aware of all aspects of menstruation. The relation between developing toxic shock syndrome and tampon use is unclear; tampon fluid capacity (absorbency) remains the best predictive measure of that risk. No unique aspect of tampon use other than absorbency seems to increase the risk of developing toxic shock syndrome, and numerous hygiene and medical history factors do not seem to play a role in the pathogenesis of the disease. Studies in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa indicate that 70% to 75% of women between the ages of 15 and 24, the group with the highest risk of developing menstrual toxic shock syndrome, continued to use tampons after news media attention in 1980 on the association of the syndrome with tampon use. This rate of use is higher than the rate found for the general population by recent tampon market research.
D000042:Absorption; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D003267:Contraception; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006920:Hygiene; D052576:Menstrual Hygiene Products / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012306:Risk; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000209:etiology*; D013577:Syndrome; D013997:Time Factors