Table 1

Specific approaches to treatment of toxic shock syndromes

Strategy
Experimental data
Reference

Clindamycin
Toxin production is switched off at sub-bacteriocidal concentrations of antibiotic.
[5,6]

Clindamycin use is associated with reduced mortality compared with historical controls

Intravenous immunoglobulin
Immunoglobulin neutralizes streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxins in vitro. IgA and IgM
[7,8,9]

supplemented preparations may be superior to pure IgG preparations. Adjunctive therapy


with intravenous immunoglobulin is associated with improved survival compared with


historical controls

Toxoids of pyrogenic exotoxins
Non-superantigenic mutants of SPEA and SPEC protect rabbits from a toxin challenge
[10,11]

SPEA, Streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin A; SPEC, streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin C.

Llewelyn and Cohen Critical Care 2001 5:53   doi:10.1186/cc986