Webster's New World Medical Dictionary

toxemia
See 
eclampsia.
toxic epidermal necrolysis
A widespread, life-
threatening skin disorder that is most often drug-
induced, involving widespread death and destruction
of skin and mucous membranes. Abbreviated TEN.
TEN is thought to be a variant of the same disease
process as Stevens-Johnson syndrome and is believed
to arise because of the abnormal death of ker-
atinocytes, the cells that form skin and mucous mem-
branes. Serious complications include infections that
develop in damaged tissue and spread to the blood-
stream (sepsis), gastrointestinal bleeding, respira-
tory failure, and fluid loss that can progress to kidney
failure. Treatment includes supportive management
in an intensive care setting. See also 
Stevens-Johnson
syndrome.
toxic multinodular goiter
See 
goiter, toxic
multinodular.
toxic shock syndrome
A life-threatening syn-
drome that is characterized by the sudden onset of
high fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and muscle aches,
followed by low blood pressure (hypotension),
which can lead to shock and death. Abbreviated
TSS. There may be a rash resembling sunburn, with
peeling of skin. Toxic shock syndrome was origi-
nally described and still occurs especially in men-
struating women using tampons. It is caused by a
toxin produced by Staphylococcus aureus bacteria
growing under conditions in which there is little or
no oxygen. Toxic shock syndrome is less common
in women who do not use tampons and in men. A
related infection, streptococcal toxic shock syn-
drome, or STSS, is caused by streptococcus bacte-
ria, most commonly occurring after streptococcus
bacteria have invaded areas of injured skin. See also
staphylococcus.
toxicity
The degree to which a substance (a toxin
or poison) can harm humans or animals. Acute tox-
icity involves harmful effects in an organism through
a single or short-term exposure. Subchronic toxicity
is the ability of a toxic substance to cause effects for
more than one year but less than the lifetime of the
exposed organism. Chronic toxicity is the ability of a
substance or mixture of substances to cause harmful
effects over an extended period, usually upon
repeated or continuous exposure, sometimes lasting
for the entire life of the exposed organism.