Toxic shock syndrome is a serious, life-threatening bacterial infection. It is an acute illness caused by toxins released by bacteria (mainly Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus). Patients have a sudden high fever, accompanied by the following symptoms such as chilling, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, redness of eyes, mouth and throat, headache, epileptic seizures and syncope, muscle pain, low blood pressure, and organ failure (usually kidney or liver failure). Feet of patients should be raised to above the level of head. Oxygen should be given to those with difficulty breathing. Patients with lung failure should have trachea intubation. Some severe patients can receive antitoxic treatment which uses steroid hormones.
How is Toxic shock syndrome treated in practice?