[Toxic shock syndrome in 3 children].

A 16-year-old and a 10-year-old girl were admitted with general signs of illness, and respectively a green vaginal discharge and a panaritium. They recovered following antibiotic treatment and surgical relief of the panaritium. A 2-year-old boy became ill the morning after eating tainted cold meat; he died in the course of the following night. In all 3 patients Staphylococcus aureus was incubated with the toxic-shock-toxin-1-gene and/or the enterotoxin-A-gene. These 3 cases occurred within one year in a general hospital. TSS probably occurs more frequently than is generally assumed. Given that it is a life-threatening disease, rapid diagnosis is of major importance.