Toxic shock in the United States of America: epidemiology.

Toxic-shock syndrome (TSS), a severe multisystem febrile illness caused by S. aureus, occurs in a wide variety of clinical settings. Although the majority of reported cases in the United States continue to be associated with menstruation and tampon use, TSS also occurs in postpartum women and in patients with infected surgical wounds, cutaneous and subcutaneous infections, and infections at other body sites. Well documented cases of TSS have now been reported from countries around the world.