- TSS is an extremely rare
illness caused by a common bacteria - Staphylococcus aureus
- Anyone - male or female,
child or adult - can get TSS.
- In the UK the average number of confirmed cases of TSS each year is approximately 0.00006% (i.e. 40 out of a population of 60 million). About half of these are tampon related. (Source: UK Public Health Laboratory Service 1985-1995)
- Fatality rates reported in the USA are 4.1% of all confirmed TSS cases. (Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, USA, 1999)
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- With early diagnosis toxic
shock syndrome can be successfully treated
- Most doctors will never see
a case of toxic shock syndrome
- In the USA, it is estimated that tampon related TSS affects approximately 0.001-2% (i.e. less than 1-2 per 100,000) of menstruating women (i.e. aged 15-44 years) per year. (Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, USA, 2005 – note: last active surveillance done in 1987)
- In Australia TSS is not a notifiable disease, so reliable figures are not available.
- On an international basis,
about half the reported cases of TSS are linked to tampon
use.
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