title: T-cell activation and proliferation in a case of recurrent menstrual toxic shock syndrome.
abstract: A case of menses-related toxic shock syndrome with a relapse within 9 days is presented. Cervical smear of the patient yielded growth of a Staphylococcus aureus strain which produced toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1). Serum antibody against TSST-1 were absent in the first sample which was obtained in the acute phase and did not increase significantly within 5 weeks. We studied the proliferative response of the patient's T cells during and after the acute phase of disease to evaluate whether they have been rendered unresponsive to TSST-1. We could not detect any reduction in the T cell proliferation at any time. Peripheral T cells of the patient were analysed flow-cytometrically at two different times to determine the expression of the T cell activity markers CD25 and HLA-DR. The expression of HLA-DR was increased during the acute phase and had declined significantly at the time of the second analysis; the CD25 expression remained constant.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Medizinische Mikrobiologie und Infektionsepidemiologie, Freien Universität Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arvand
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hahn
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D002455:Cell Division; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008597:Menstrual Cycle; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000276:immunology*; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000032:analysis; D012008:Recurrence; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D004768:Enterotoxins; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; C067435:toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (58-78)