Vaginal tampon model for toxic shock syndrome.

The effects of tampon composition, inoculum size, and simulated menses on production of toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 (TSST-1) and toxic shock syndrome (TSS) were evaluated in a rabbit model that simulates tampon use in humans. Three small generic compressed-fiber tampons were successively inserted vaginally (remained in place 4.5 hours x 2; overnight x 1). Tampon no. 1 was inoculated with live TSST-1-positive staphylococci plus 5 mL of saline or simulated menses (defibrinated rabbit blood plus 2.5 g of bovine serum albumin/dL) immediately after insertion; saline or simulated menses alone were used with tampons no. 2 and 3. The vagina was washed after removal of tampon no. 3. TSS-like illness was produced consistently in animals with carboxymethyl cellulose/polyester foam tampons, which supported higher organism counts and greater TSST-1 production in association with subsequent tampons. Cotton and rayon tampons were not associated with as much clinical illness, organism growth, or TSST-1 production. Simulated menses supported toxin production and clinical illness when the inoculum was one-tenth that required for controls. Sham tampon insertion was associated with TSS-like illness in two of 10 rabbits; thus, other factors may promote TSS in the absence of vaginal tampons. This model reliability reproduces menstrual TSS, since one-time vaginal inoculation with TSST-1-positive staphylococci in the presence of blood and certain tampons leads to TSS, and may be useful in evaluating catamenial products and in understanding other factors important in TSST-1 production in vivo and the development of TSS.

Effect of magnesium on in vitro production of toxic shock syndrome toxin 1.

Batch and chemostat culture of Staphylococcus aureus strain S411 was conducted in an investigation of the role of Mg++ in the control of production of toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 (TSST-1). Under both growth conditions, Mg++ influenced bacterial growth, and TSST-1 production was correlated with bacterial growth. The specific activity of TSST-1 (ng/mg yield, ng/mg total protein) increased with increasing concentrations of Mg++ and was maximal at physiologic levels of Mg++. No production of TSST-1 was observed under anaerobic conditions. In chemostat cultures in which valine nutrient limitation was used with various levels of tryptophan in the chemically defined medium, tryptophan concentration controlled the production of TSST-1 by strain S411, regardless of the concentration of Mg++.