Toxic Shock Syndrome : what to say to women using tampons

pxhidalgo

Published the 23.01.2018 at 10h59

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Keywords :

tamponChoc toxiquemaladies infectieusemaladies infectious

The bacterium in question is well known

It is a microbe, a bacterium called staph bacteria, often present in the man of no consequence, but that is sometimes resistant to antibiotic treatments. So it’s probably not the buffer, which is the cause, but its an intermediate in the contamination… This does reassurance not the women, but they described similar cases with diaphragms, caps or sponges cervical. Most of these infections are easy to cure without sequelae in two conditions : quickly take antibiotics and hope that they are not face to a microbe-resistant. This is fortunately particularly rare. However, since the late 90’s, the SCT has reappeared and is increasing every year : in France, 5 in 2014, 19 in 2011, 22 in 2014, which shows that the war against the resistance to antibiotics due to our overuse of such drugs (and their use in breeding) is far from being won.

As to the mechanism of the SCT, it is due to a toxin produced by the microbe, which is not suppressed by the antibodies against it by the body and 90 % of women are carriers of course. The five girls did not ; this requires them to be even more précautionneuses with their buffers. The risk of recurrence is real.

It is necessary to make the diagnosis as soon as possible

The SCT makes one think of a flu with buttons that resemble the ones that we grab when we stayed in the sun, so it is not easy to make the relationship with the buffer. A small feature not always present, fainting, or the feeling of wanting to faint in the standing position.

In conclusion, in the face of such symptoms, the doctor wades and did not think about this diagnosis. If in doubt, it must be treated.

The amputation is very rare

The TBS are not always dramatic if it happens quickly. This is also the case of these young girls from the Countries of the Loire. But the toxin, if it is not combated, can lead to necrosis (and therefore amputation), heart problems, or kidney disease. An amputation due to this syndrome is exceptional. Wait a second… The specialists interviewed did not hide their amazement in front of the case to Lauren Wasser that said, a few weeks ago, having to undergo a second amputation of his other leg. They have only two hypotheses : the absence of antibodies against the toxin that causes tss. But we can assume that after the first occurrence, Lauren was very vigilant. Second hypothesis : a any other disease, the details of what the young woman is sometimes a little strange.

Should women be wary of tampons ?

Reiterate that the buffer is not the only door of entrance of the microbe.

Either the pads, capes, or other means, the only explanation is the accumulation of blood “trapped” by the protection, and which represents, for a microbe, an ideal environment to grow and produce its toxin, dangerous. It is well known that the “cultures” of microbes are easy to perform in an environment of blood. A hypothesis verified by the analysis of the case of the young girls from the Val de Loire : 4 had brought their buffer all night, much beyond the advice given by the doctors : frequent change of buffer, no more than 3 to 6 hours straight, which obviously raises the problem of the night. The pad seems to be more appropriate.

It should also focus pads with an absorption capacity the lowest.

And as always with the microbes, have a hand hygiene impeccable. Of course after the buffer, but especially before, staph is very often on the skin.