Toxic Shock

Fewer tampons, fewer cases

The Centers for Disease Control warned last September that the risk of toxic shock syndrome (TSS), a rare but sometimes fatal bacteria-related disorder that usually strikes menstruating women, might be heightened by the use of tampons, particularly the Rely brand from Procter & Gamble. Since that alert and the prompt removal of Rely from the market, the incidence of TSS has dropped dramatically. The CDC announced last week that the number of new cases in the U.S. reported each month had declined from 106 in September to 39 in December.

The new figures strengthen but do not prove suspicions that Rely was the leading cause of TSS. Other tampon brands have also been implicated. The percentage of menstruating women using tampons exclusively has dropped from 70% to 55%. Although the apparent easing of the TSS threat is welcome news, puzzled scientists still do not know how the insertion of a mass of absorbent material could create an encouraging environment for mischievous microbes.

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