[Toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 producing strains of Staphylococcus aureus in vaginal smears]

21 Staphylococcus aureus strains were isolated from 391 vaginal swabs. This corresponds to a frequency of 5.3%. In females using tampons this frequency was 7%, in users of napkins 2.4%. 2 out of these 21 S. aureus strains produced toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1). Both strains originated from women using tampons. Therefore, 5 out of 1000 women must be expected to carry TSST-1-producing S. aureus strains within their vagina.