Athlete cum model Lauren Wasser has double amputation due to TSS! Are females who use tampons at risk for this handicapping and life-threatening illness?

Updated On March 18, 2024 | Published By: shahid | In Health , Interesting Facts , Legal

Lauren Wasser is an athlete, actress, model, activist, and TSS survivor.

Table of Contents

What is TSS?

A toxicogenic strain of S. aureus produces the toxin that causes Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS).

The person gets symptoms of severe infection and sepsis such as high fever, rash, skin peeling, and low blood pressure. If it’s a life-threatening situation, one may develop complications such as gangrene and multi-system damage if not saved.

Treatment is by specific antibiotics, surgical debridement of abscesses, and intravenous immunoglobulins.

It affects one in 200000 people worldwide and in 2016 in the whole of the US around 40 cases were reported of TSS. The use of over-absorbent tampons has been linked with TSS.

Lauren and her double amputation due to TSS

In 2012, Lauren Wasser suffered from a near-fatal TSS. She was saved but had to undergo right below-knee amputation and amputation of her left foot toes which had become gangrenous due to the illness.

In January, Lauren, 30, underwent a below-knee amputation of her left limb due to a lingering complication of the problem.

She had slipped into depression after the first surgery and it was the support of her family, especially her supermodel mother and her girlfriend Jennifer Rovero which helped her come out of it.

She then became an activist to make people aware of the TSS and suggest measures to avoid it.

The legal case

After her right leg amputation, Lauren had filed a lawsuit against the company Kimberly-Clark Corp. which manufactures and distributes the Kotex tampons which were alleged to be the culprit in her case.

She had also made a case against the supermarket that sold her the tampon stating that it was “negligently, wantonly, recklessly, tortuously, and unlawfully responsible in some manner.”

She refused to comment on the case and the grocery store also did not make any comments on the follow-up of the lawsuit. The Company which produces the tampons stated that the matter has been resolved.

Lauren with the assistance of Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney is fighting for legislation that could try to research the chemicals in the tampons.

Are those who use tampons at risk?

It is stated that the risk is minimal. Out of the 40 cases reported in 2016, only half were in menstruating females. Considering the vast use of tampons in the US, this is an extremely small number.

Dr. JoAnn Pinkerton, executive director of the North American Menopause Society talked at length about how TSS can occur with tampon use.

She said:

“The first is vaginal colonization with a strain of S. aureus, which can make the toxin; the second is production by the S. aureus of the toxin; the third is penetration across the vaginal epithelium of enough toxin to cause disease; and the fourth is a lack of adequate titers of the neutralizing antibody to the toxin,”

Only 1-4% of the female population has vaginal colonization with the responsible S. aureus and 87-100% of these adult populations have antibodies against the toxin. Young females who overuse tampons and barrier contraceptives and have no antibodies are only at risk.

To minimize the risk, change tampons frequently, alternate tampons with pads, and use lower absorbency tampons. Also, avoid sleeping with tampons on at night.

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