Mastitis and toxic shock syndrome

Abstract

Toxic shock syndrome (TSS) secondary to mastitis or breast abscess is only seldom described. We report a case of definite TSS due to postpartum staphylococcal mastitis which evolved over a period of 3 weeks to a breast abscess, recurring after 2 months. Only the episode of acute mastitis was complicated with TSS, while Staph. aureus could be isolated during the period of mastitis from milk and during drainage of the second breast abscess.