Toxic Shock Syndrome - Toxic Shock Syndrome Toxins, Symptoms Of Toxic Shock Syndrome, Risk Factors For Toxic Shock Syndrome
tss immune proteins aureus
Toxic shock syndrome (TSS) is a serious, life-threatening disease caused by bacteria called Staphylococcus aureus and less typically, Streptococcus pyrogenes. Common causes of skin and mucous membrane infections, some strains of Staph. aureus and Strep. pyrogenes secrete toxins that initiate a cascade of immune reactions. These immune reactions lead to overproduction of immune proteins, and the abnormally high production of these proteins leads to TSS. As its name implies, the most prominent symptom of TSS is shock. During shock, the blood pressure drops to dangerously low levels. If TSS is not quickly diagnosed and treated with antibiotics, it can be fatal.
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A toxin is a chemical that acts as a poison within the body. TSS is caused by toxins released from certain strains of Staph. aureus and Strep. pyrogenes. Not all strains of these bacteria release these toxins. About 30% of Staph aureus strains and less than 10% of Strep pyrogenes strains are TSS-toxin-producing. Toxins that cause TSS are called "superantigens" because of their effect…
A "syndrome" is a group of different symptoms and conditions that are traced to one specific cause. Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), for example, is a cluster of different diseases that stem from infection of helper T cells with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Similarly, TSS is a spectrum of symptoms caused by infection with toxin-producing strains of S. aureus and S. …
In 1980, several women in the United States were diagnosed with TSS; a few of these women died. When researchers investigated these cases, they found that all the women had been menstruating and using high-absorbency tampons. Since that time, toxic shock has been associated with the use of tampons in menstruating women, who comprise about 50% of the cases of TSS per year. Researchers speculate tha…
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