[Menstrual toxic shock syndrome in a 17-year-old girl].

In a seventeen-year old female patient fever, vomiting, conjunctivitis, pharyngitis, hypotension, exanthema, disorientation and severe myalgia were observed on the second day of menstruation. The typical symptoms suggested the clinical diagnosis of toxic shock syndrome (TSS). During the period of reconvalescence desquamations on hands and feet occurred. From vaginal swabs and the tampons Staphylococcus aureus was recovered. In supernatants from cultures the strain was found to produce toxic shock toxin (TST). Antibodies against TST in the patients serum were not detectable for a period of 70 days after onset of the disease. The patient recovered within three weeks, relapses were not observed.