5 declarations of toxic shock recorded in 2004,19 in 2014: this sudden increase in the number of cases had alerted the National Reference Center for Staphylococci of the Hospices Civils de Lyon. To try to understand the phenomenon, scientists had launched last fall a collection of tampons after users. Near 6000 kit requests had then been recorded.
Never tampons while sleeping
The first results of this study have just been published. According to Professor Gérard Lina, microbiologist at HCL who responded to our questions about toxic shock syndrome a few months ago, it was not the composition of the tampons that caused the appearance of the toxin responsible for the toxic shock, but more simply their misuse.
Researchers tested the most widely used brands of tampons and attempted to reproduce conditions closest to the inside of the vagina. The results are reassuring: “No protection used during menstruation promotes the growth and production of the shock toxin, unlike the Rely tampon, which was withdrawn from the US market in the 1980s”.
Rather, the problem lies in “a lack of information for users”. Tampons should not be worn for more than 6 hours and should be removed while sleeping.
This study also points the finger at menstrual cups, more favorable to the growth of the toxin than tampons. They indeed allow a greater inflow of air, and therefore oxygen, which promotes the growth of Staphylococcus aureus.
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