Toxic shock syndrome (TSS) is a rare and possibly deadly type of blood poisoning. While you may have heard it frequently associated with tampons (we'll get to that later), this disease is actually caused by a bacterial infection.
The two most common types of bacteria that cause TSS are: Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes. Both produce toxins which circulate in the bloodstream and cause symptoms associated with TSS.