Necrotizing Fasciitis

Necrotizing Fasciitis, severe type of bacterial infection of the soft tissues. The bacteria are commonly referred to as flesh-eating bacteria because they quickly move through the body and cause tissue to decay and become gangrenous. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 500 to 1500 cases of necrotizing fasciitis occur in the United States each year. Although anyone can develop this infection, people with incurable or chronic conditions such as cancer, diabetes, and kidney disease, and people with breaks in their skin, such as a cut from surgery or sores from chicken pox, are more susceptible.

In cases of necrotizing fasciitis, bacteria attack under the skin, causing tissue to become red, hot, and swollen, decay, and eventually die. The bacteria may also produce toxins that cause shock, a condition in which the heart, lungs, kidneys and other body systems begin to fail. Early symptoms include fever and redness, pus, swelling, and intense pain at the site of a wound, which grows worse instead of improving. Necrotizing fasciitis is a fast-moving disease that, if untreated, can cause death in as little as 24 hours.

Necrotizing fasciitis can be caused by any type of bacteria but often is the result of Group A streptococci bacteria. These bacteria are normally found on the throat and skin and can cause illnesses such as strep throat. If an otherwise healthy person with a break in the skin from a trauma or lesion—even something as minor as a small cut or bruise—is exposed to someone with strep throat, airborne Group A streptococci bacteria can enter the body through the break in the skin and cause the disease.

If it is treated early enough, necrotizing fasciitis is curable. It is diagnosed with tests that identify the bacteria in the bloodstream or in pus from affected tissue. The infection is treated with penicillin or other antibiotics. Any infected tissue must be surgically removed to ensure that all of the surviving bacteria is eliminated from the body. In severe cases it may be necessary to amputate an infected limb.