[Streptococcus pyogenes toxic shock. A clinical case].

Toxic shock-like syndrome (TSLS) due to Streptococcus pyogenes has been recently reported in both children and adults. This syndrome is characterized by hypotension or shock, fever, multiorgan system involvement and death in 30 to 60% of patients. This syndrome closely resembles the more frequent staphylococcal TSLS. Only one case of TSLS caused by streptococcus has been reported, up to now, in our Country. We describe a second case of fatal streptococcus pyogenes TSLS in a 64-year-old man, in which the site of infection was in the soft tissues. The illness was characterized by rapid progression of shock, erythematous rash, multisystem organ involvement and finally death. Clinicians must be aware of the presentation of this disease as its incidence appears to be increasing.