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Public and Environmental Health Microbiology | Spotlight

Impact of Currently Marketed Tampons and Menstrual Cups on Staphylococcus aureus Growth and Toxic Shock Syndrome Toxin 1 Production In Vitro

Louis Nonfoux, Myriam Chiaruzzi, Cédric Badiou, Jessica Baude, Anne Tristan, Jean Thioulouse, Daniel Muller, Claire Prigent-Combaret, Gérard Lina
Donald W. Schaffner, Editor
Louis Nonfoux
aCentre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Inserm U1111, Université Lyon 1, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, CNRS UMR 5308, Lyon, France
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Myriam Chiaruzzi
aCentre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Inserm U1111, Université Lyon 1, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, CNRS UMR 5308, Lyon, France
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Cédric Badiou
aCentre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Inserm U1111, Université Lyon 1, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, CNRS UMR 5308, Lyon, France
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Jessica Baude
aCentre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Inserm U1111, Université Lyon 1, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, CNRS UMR 5308, Lyon, France
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Anne Tristan
aCentre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Inserm U1111, Université Lyon 1, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, CNRS UMR 5308, Lyon, France
bCentre National de Référence des Staphylocoques, Institut des Agent Infectieux, Hôpital de la Croix Rousse, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France
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Jean Thioulouse
dUniversité de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive UMR5558, Villeurbanne, France
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Daniel Muller
cUniversité de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, INRA, VetAgro Sup, UMR Ecologie Microbienne, Villeurbanne, France
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Claire Prigent-Combaret
cUniversité de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, INRA, VetAgro Sup, UMR Ecologie Microbienne, Villeurbanne, France
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Gérard Lina
aCentre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Inserm U1111, Université Lyon 1, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, CNRS UMR 5308, Lyon, France
bCentre National de Référence des Staphylocoques, Institut des Agent Infectieux, Hôpital de la Croix Rousse, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France
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Donald W. Schaffner
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
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DOI: 10.1128/AEM.00351-18
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ABSTRACT

Fifteen currently marketed intravaginal protection products (11 types of tampon and 4 types of menstrual cup) were tested by the modified tampon sac method to determine their effect on Staphylococcus aureus growth and toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 (TSST-1) production. Most tampons reduced S. aureus growth and TSST-1 production, with differences based on brand and composition, and the level of S. aureus growth was higher in destructured than in unaltered tampons. We observed higher levels of S. aureus growth and toxin production in menstrual cups than in tampons, potentially due to the additional air introduced into the bag by cups, with differences based on cup composition and size.

IMPORTANCE Menstrual toxic shock syndrome is a rare but severe disease. It occurs in healthy women vaginally colonized by Staphylococcus aureus producing toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 using intravaginal protection, such as tampons or menstrual cups. Intravaginal protection induces TSS by the collection of catamenial products, which act as a growth medium for S. aureus. Previous studies evaluated the impact of tampon composition on S. aureus producing toxic shock syndrome toxin 1, but they are not recent and did not include menstrual cups. This study demonstrates that highly reproducible results for S. aureus growth and TSST-1 production can be obtained by using a simple protocol that reproduces the physiological conditions of tampon and cup usage as closely as possible, providing recommendations for tampon or cup use to both manufacturers and consumers. Notably, our results do not show that menstrual cups are safer than tampons and suggest that they require similar precautions.

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Impact of Currently Marketed Tampons and Menstrual Cups on Staphylococcus aureus Growth and Toxic Shock Syndrome Toxin 1 Production In Vitro
Louis Nonfoux, Myriam Chiaruzzi, Cédric Badiou, Jessica Baude, Anne Tristan, Jean Thioulouse, Daniel Muller, Claire Prigent-Combaret, Gérard Lina
Applied and Environmental Microbiology May 2018, 84 (12) e00351-18; DOI: 10.1128/AEM.00351-18

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Impact of Currently Marketed Tampons and Menstrual Cups on Staphylococcus aureus Growth and Toxic Shock Syndrome Toxin 1 Production In Vitro
Louis Nonfoux, Myriam Chiaruzzi, Cédric Badiou, Jessica Baude, Anne Tristan, Jean Thioulouse, Daniel Muller, Claire Prigent-Combaret, Gérard Lina
Applied and Environmental Microbiology May 2018, 84 (12) e00351-18; DOI: 10.1128/AEM.00351-18
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KEYWORDS

tampon
menstrual cup
Staphylococcus aureus
toxic shock syndrome toxin 1
biofilm
elastomer
fiber

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