Toxic shock syndrome is a potentially deadly complication of bacterial infection, resulting from Staphylococcus aureus (staph) bacteria. It has been associated with the use of super-absorbent tampons (most notably, the infamous Rely brand in 1980), but other risk factors include skin wounds and surgery. Thus it can also affect men, children, and postmenopausal women. Given the history of association of TSS with tampons – 40 women in the US died between March 1980 and March 1981 – research on prevention of TSS in menstruating women is ongoing.
A new finding, published in Clinical Infectious Diseases last week, suggests that using GML as a tampon fiber finish may reduce the risk of TSS in menstruating women. GML (Glycerol monolaurate) is an emulsifier used in ice cream, cosmetics, and chewing gum. (It also occurs naturally in human breast milk.)
The researchers tested the GML coating in a double-blind study in which the women wore the special tampons for 2-6 hours on the second day of menstrual flow. The women’s own tampons were then compared with study tampons with or without GML for S. aureus and the exotoxins associated with TSS. Lower amounts of the exotoxins were present in study tampons with GML than study tampons without GML, leading the researchers to conclude “that GML added to tampons provides additional safety relative to menstrual toxic shock syndrome as well as benefits for vaginal health generally.”
