What type of bacteria is necrotizing fasciitis?
There are many types of bacteria that can cause the “flesh-eating disease” called necrotizing fasciitis. Public health experts believe group A Streptococcus (group A strep) are the most common cause of necrotizing fasciitis. This web page only focuses on necrotizing fasciitis caused by group A strep bacteria.
Where is necrotizing fasciitis bacteria found?
These bacteria are found on the skin or in the nose and throat of healthy people. Many people carry these bacteria but don’t get sick. These bacteria can also cause strep throat, scarlet fever, skin infections and rheumatic fever.
What does necrotizing skin look like?
Symptoms of Necrotizing Skin Infections . The skin may look pale at first but quickly becomes red or bronze and warm to the touch and sometimes swollen. Later, the skin turns violet, often with the development of large fluid-filled blisters (bullae).
How do you get necrotizing fasciitis bacteria?
You can get necrotizing fasciitis when bacteria enter a wound, such as from an insect bite, a burn, or a cut. You can also get it in: Wounds that come in contact with ocean water, raw saltwater fish, or raw oysters, including injuries from handling sea animals such as crabs.
What antibiotics are used for necrotizing fasciitis?
For necrotizing infections of the skin, fascia, and muscle, the IDSA guideline recommend pipercillin-tazobactam and vancomycin, a carbapenem (meropenem, imipenem, ertapenem), or cefotaxime and metronidazole or clindamycin.
How fast does necrotizing fasciitis spread?
The symptoms of necrotising fasciitis develop quickly over hours or days. They may not be obvious at first and can be similar to less serious conditions, such as flu, gastroenteritis or cellulitis. Early symptoms can include: a small but painful cut or scratch on the skin.
What body systems are affected by necrotizing fasciitis?
Necrotizing fasciitis is a serious infection of the skin, the tissue just beneath the skin (subcutaneous tissue), and the tissue that covers internal organs (fascia).
What are the most common complications of necrotizing fasciitis?
What are complications of necrotizing fasciitis?
- Renal failure.
- Septic shock with cardiovascular collapse.
- Scarring with cosmetic deformity.
- Limb loss.
- Sepsis.
- Toxic shock syndrome.
What is necrotizing fasciitis and how serious is it?
Necrotizing fasciitis is a serious infection of the skin, the tissue just beneath the skin (subcutaneous tissue), and the tissue that covers internal organs (fascia). Necrotizing fasciitis can be caused by several different types of bacteria, and the infection can arise suddenly and spread quickly.
Where does necrotizing fasciitis start?
Picture of Necrotizing Fasciitis. Necrotizing fasciitis is a dangerous infection of soft-tissue that starts in the subcutaneous tissue (just below the skin) and spreads along the flat layers of fibrous tissue that separate different layers of tissue (fascial planes).
What bacteria causes necrotizing fasciitis?
Other types of bacteriathat can cause necrotizing fasciitis include Klebsiella, Clostridium, and Escherichia coli.[3] Approximately one-half of necrotizing fasciitis cases caused by streptococcal bacteria occur in young and otherwise healthy individuals.[5]
What is the best treatment for necrotizing fasciitis?
Treatment Treatment. Listen. Accurate and prompt diagnosis, treatment with intravenous (IV) antibiotics, and surgery to remove dead tissue are vital in treating necrotizing fasciitis. As the blood supply to the infected tissue becomes impaired, antibiotics often cannot penetrate the infected tissue.