Tuesday, May 25, 2010
What is the cause of TSS besides the tampons?
Answer:
Toxic shock syndrome (TSS) is a serious but uncommon bacterial infection. TSS was originally linked to the use of tampons, but it is now also known to be associated with the contraceptive sponge and diaphragm birth control methods. In rare cases, TSS has resulted from wounds or surgery incisions where bacteria have been able to enter the body and cause the infection.
What Is Toxic Shock Syndrome?
There are actually two different types of this condition. Toxic shock syndrome, which is caused by Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, has been associated with the use of tampons. (TSS was initially linked to a particular type of tampons, which has since been taken off the market.) Although the exact connection is still not clear, researchers suspect that certain types of high-absorbency tampons provided a moist, warm home where the bacteria could thrive.
Although TSS usually occurs in menstruating women, it can affect anyone who has any type of staph infection, including pneumonia, abscess, skin or wound infection, a blood infection called septicemia, or a bone infection called osteomyelitis.
A related infection, streptococcal toxic shock syndrome, or STSS, is caused by streptococcus bacteria. Most often STSS appears after streptococcus bacteria have invaded areas of injured skin, such as cuts and scrapes, surgical wounds, and even chickenpox blisters. It almost never follows a simple streptococcus throat infection (strep throat).
Toxin produced by Staph aureus
TSS is a bacteria infection that has also been linked to the use of diaphragms and contraceptive sponges for the use of birth control.
Some steps to prevent TSS is alternate between tampons %26 pads. Wash hands after using the washroom, TSS can be passed by dirty hands. Use tampons with lowest absorbency to handle your menstral flow. Lastly, store your feminine products in a cool places like a closet instead in the bathroom under a sink. I hope this answered your question.
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Philip Tierno Jr., chief of clinical microbiology and immunology at New York University Medical Center and a leading authority on tampon health risks writes in his recent book, The Secret Life of Germs:
ReplyDelete“the number of current cases of TSS is underreported, perhaps significantly so. In 1989, only 45 cases of menstrual TSS were reported to the CDC. But to be reported to the CDC, an incidence of TSS must meet what is called a strict case definition. This requires that the patient have symptoms in all of five major categories: fever of 102 degrees Fahrenheit or greater, rash, skin peeling one to two weeks after illness begins (assuming, of course, that death has not already occurred), low blood pressure or dizziness, and involvement of three or more organ systems. If symptoms are absent in one or two categories but present in others—for example, if a woman has a fever of 101.9 degrees Fahrenheit rather than 102, or if she does not have a rash—the situation may fulfill a clinical diagnosis of TSS. For every case I see that meets the CDC’s strict case criteria, I see five or more that fit the clinical bill.”
Dr. Tierno notes that over the past 30 years he has never seen a single case of TSS resulting from the use of a pure cotton tampon. He also states his belief that because viscose rayon offers up to 4 times more specific surface area than cotton, every case of TSS is caused in part by the use of this material.
Organic cotton tampons contain 100% pure cotton grown without pesticides and not bleached with chlorine. Considering that the average woman will buy more than 11,000 tampons in her lifetime, organic cotton tampons, like those made by Seventh Generation, are a simple but important choice to make a difference.
Visit http://www.letstalkperiod.com to learn more about organic feminine care.