Toxic shock syndrome is caused by:

Ans. a (Staphylococci). (Ref. Textbook of Microbiology by Ananthnar ay an, 7th/196)Toxic shock syndrome toxin (TSST): Toxic shock syndrome (TSS) is a potentially fatal multisystem disease presenting with fever, hypotension, myalgia, vomiting, diarrhea, mucosal hyperemia and an erythematous rash which desquamates subsequently. This is associated with infection of mucosal or sequestered sites by TSST-producing Staph, aureus strains usually belonging to bacteriophage group I. TSST type-1 (formerly also known as enterotoxin type F or pyrogenic exotoxin C) is most often responsible, though enterotoxins B or C may also cause the syndrome.TSS was first identified in 1978 in children and adolescents, but became widely known only in 1980 following out- breaks in the USA in menstruating women using highly absorbent vaginal tampons. Their vaginal swabs showed heavy growth of staph, aureus, though blood cultures were invariably negative. TSST-1 antibody is seen in convalescents. This is protective and absence of TSST-1 antibody is a factor in the pathogenesis of the condition.Though tampon-related TSS is now rare, the syndrome occurs in other infections of the skin, mucosa and other sites and also in some surgical wounds.