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A reversed passive latex agglutination method, in which latex particles were sensitized with specific anti-toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1) immunoglobulin, was found to be a simple and sensitive method for the detection of TSST-1 production by Staphylococcus aureus strains. The minimum amount of TSST-1 detectable was approximately 1.0 ng/ml. Of 41 S. aureus isolates from toxic shock syndrome patients and controls, 23 were positive for TSST-1 production, whereas only 20 strains were positive for TSST-1 production by an Ouchterlony immunodiffusion method. The reversed passive latex agglutination method was used to examine S. aureus strains isolated in Japan from staphylococcal infections, feces from healthy individuals, food from poisoning outbreaks, and market food.