Characterization of staphylococci from patients with toxic shock syndrome

Fifty staphylococcal strains that produced toxic shock syndrome (TSS) toxin 1 and that were isolated from patients with TSS were characterized. One strain had more properties that were characteristic of Staphylococcus hyicus than of Staphylococcus aureus. Forty-four strains had the same properties or differed in only one property. Thirty-five of the 50 strains produced either enterotoxin A or C or both in addition to TSS toxin 1.