Case challenge · Infectious disease / Critical care / Emergency · teaching

Toxic Shock Syndrome — Management Pathway · case challenge

Given a case, work through the care pathway step by step; the tool checks each choice and scores you. Decisions and basis are taken from this site's reviewed care pathways.

← View the full flowchartBased on CDC / IDSA

Case #1Infectious disease / Critical care / Emergency

📋 Case data

Suspected TSS?Suspected TSS (fever + hypotension + multiorgan ± rash)

Data is taken from this pathway's reviewed node text. Work through the pathway step by step.

Step 1 / 1 · Suspected TSS?

Fever + rash + hypotension + multiorgan — suspected TSS?

💡 Superantigen-mediated (Staph aureus TSST-1 / group A Strep), massive T-cell activation → cytokine storm. Acute high fever + hypotension (may be fluid-unresponsive) + diffuse sunburn-like erythroderma + multiorgan dysfunction (renal failure, hepatic, vomiting/diarrhea, myalgia/raised CK, low platelets, altered mentation), desquamation at 1–3 weeks (a late sign, not for initial diagnosis). Triggers: menstrual (high-absorbency tampons), non-menstrual (wounds/nasal packing/streptococcal necrotizing fasciitis — pain out of proportion).

For teaching. Decisions and their basis are taken from this site's reviewed care pathways; for licensed clinicians/trainees, this does not replace clinical judgment or local protocols.