Diagnosis of Toxic shock syndrome

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For doctors to reach a diagnosis of Toxic Shock Syndrome, there must be:

shock (low blood pressure),
a high fever,
a sunburn-like rash,
problems with the gut such as vomiting or diarrhoea
damage to other organs such as muscles (with pain), the liver (with jaundice) or the kidneys (with changes in the urine).

However, there is no specific blood test for toxic shock syndrome. For this reason the diagnosis of toxic shock syndrome must represent a collection of problems that might have different causes.

The organs requiring the most blood â€“ the brain, the lungs and the kidneys â€“ will be damaged if shock is not treated rapidly. Shock is accompanied by changes in the signalling systems of immune cells and the blood clotting system; ideal treatment involves tackling these disorders too.

Long term studies of TSS suggest that if patients survive the initial illness â€“ the shock in particular â€“ there should be very few long-term physical effects. Women who have contracted TSS as an association of using tampons often find that their fertility has been unaffected. However it is also known that TSS may recur, perhaps because those who develop TSS have difficulties protecting themselves against the toxins.