Definition of "toxic shock" []

• Syndrome resulting from a serious acute (sometimes fatal) infection associated with the presence of staphylococcus; characterized by fever and diarrhea and nausea and diffuse erythema and shock; occurs especially in menstruating women using highly absorbent tampons (noun)

WordNet. Princeton University. 2010.

• "Less than twenty-four hours later, Felicia died of what was eventually determined to be streptococcal toxic shock syndrome, in which a common bacterial infection becomes extremely invasive and causes damage to the vital organs."