Severe toxic shock syndrome among previously healthy persons has been described in a small number of C. sordellii cases, most often associated with gynecologic infections in women and infection of the umbilical stump in newborns.
This passage describes the rare but serious health risk posed by *C. sordellii*, a bacterium that can cause severe toxic shock syndrome in individuals who are otherwise healthy. The most common cases involve women experiencing gynecological infections or newborns with umbilical cord infections.