Table 10.
Effect of menstrual cup on growth of TSS Staphylococcus aureus MN8 and TSST-1 production in the in vitro Shake Flask Assay.
| Product | Growth of TSS Staph. aureus MN8 |
TSST-1 production (μg/mL) |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CFU/mL | Log CFU/mL | Western blots | Double immunodiffusion | |
| Other Cup | 1.1E+10 | 10.04 | 1.33 | 1.2 |
| 1.2E+10 | 10.08 | 1.89 | 1.2 | |
| 9.8E+09 | 9.99 | 0.53 | 1.2 | |
| 1.0E+10 | 10.00 | 0.39 | 1.2 | |
| 1.3E+10 | 10.11 | 2.02 | 1.2 | |
| Mean | 1.1E + 10 | 10.05 | 1.23 | 1.2 |
| SD | Not determined | 0.05 | 0.67 | 0 |
| t-Test | 0.007633 | 0.002855 | ||
| Tampax Cup | 1.0E+10 | 10.00 | 1.21 | 1.2 |
| 1.3E+10 | 10.11 | 1.38 | 1.2 | |
| 9.6E+09 | 9.98 | 0.94 | 1.2 | |
| 9.8E+09 | 9.99 | 1.74 | 1.2 | |
| 9.8E+09 | 9.99 | 0.98 | 1.2 | |
| Mean | 1.0E + 10 | 10.02 | 1.25 | 1.2 |
| SD | Not determined | 0.05 | 0.29 | 0 |
| t-Test | 0.007633 | 0.002855 | ||
| Currently marketed competitor tampon | 1.3E+10 | 10.11 | 50.00 | 38.4 |
| 1.1E+10 | 10.04 | 122.00 | 76.8 | |
| 1.1E+10 | 10.04 | 410.00 | 307.2 | |
| 1.4E+10 | 10.15 | 373.00 | 307.2 | |
| 1.2E+10 | 10.08 | 307.00 | 307.2 | |
| Mean | 1.2E + 10 | 10.09 | 252.40 | 207.36 |
| SD | Not determined | 0.04 | 141.66 | 122.88 |
| t-Test | 0.015399 | 0.016499 | ||
| Control (no product) | 1.1E+10 | 10.04 | 11.70 | 9.6 |
| 1.2E+10 | 10.08 | 23.00 | 19.2 | |
| 9.7E+09 | 9.99 | 54.00 | 19.2 | |
| 1.3E+10 | 10.11 | 22.00 | 19.2 | |
| 1.4E+10 | 10.15 | 56.00 | 38.4 | |
| Mean | 1.2E + 10 | 10.07 | 33.34 | 21.12 |
| SD | Not determined | 0.06 | 18.13 | 9.41 |
Abbreviations: CFU, Colony forming unit; SD, Standard deviation; TSS(T), Toxic shock syndrome (toxin).
All tests were performed in replicate (n = 5). Data analysed via Student's t-test. Bold values indicate Mean and SD of individual datapoints as well as outcomes of T Test.