What Is Toxic Shock Syndrome?
There are actually two different types of this condition. Toxic shock syndrome, which is caused by Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, has been associated with the use of tampons. (TSS was initially linked to a particular type of tampons, which has since been taken off the market.) Although the exact connection is still not clear, researchers suspect that certain types of high-absorbency tampons provided a moist, warm home where the bacteria could thrive.
Although TSS usually occurs in ************ women, it can affect anyone who has any type of staph infection, including pneumonia, abscess, skin or wound infection, a ***** infection called septicemia, or a bone infection called osteomyelitis.
A related infection, streptococcal toxic shock syndrome, or STSS, is caused by streptococcus bacteria. Most often STSS appears after streptococcus bacteria have invaded areas of injured skin, such as cuts and scrapes, surgical wounds, and even chickenpox blisters. It almost never follows a simple streptococcus throat infection (strep throat).
http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/infections/bacterial_viral/toxic_shock.html