Toxic shock syndrome.

Abstract

To the Editor .—I am writing concerning the article about toxic shock syndrome after nasal surgery that appeared in the March 1988 issue of theArchives. Jacobson et al 1 have made a significant contribution to the otolarynologic literature in their article entitled Evaluation of Single-Dose Cefazolin Prophylaxis for Toxic Shock Syndrome. This article appears to be a follow-up study from a similar article concerning toxic shock after nasal surgery published in the March 1986 issue of theArchivesby Jacobsen et al. 2 There was a statement in the March 1986 article that indicated systemic antibiotics did not have a demonstrable protective effect against toxic shock syndrome. The March 1988 article concluded that a regimen of single-dose cefazolin prophylaxis was unlikely to have a major effect on the incidence of toxic shock syndrome following nasal surgery. I must object to these conclusions from both studies. It continues to be a