Rare Fleshing Eating Bacteraia

With the Georgia graduate student, making headlines with a rare bacterial infection, I felt in this week's blog I would discuss necrotizing fascitis.  This type of infection destroys muscles, skin, and underlying tissue. The word "necrotizing" refers to something that causes body tissue to die.

Many different types of bacteria can cause this infection. A very severe and usually deadly form of necrotizing soft tissue infection is due to Streptococcus pyogenes, which is sometimes called "flesh-eating bacteria."

Necrotizing soft tissue infection develops when the bacteria enters the body, usually through a minor cut or scrape. The bacteria begins to grow and release harmful substances (toxins) that kill tissue and affect blood flow to the area. As the tissue dies, the bacteria enters the blood and rapidly spreads throughout the body.

Symptoms include:

• Small, red, painful lump or bump on the skin
• Changes to a very painful bruise-like area and grows rapidly, sometimes in less than an hour
• The center may become black and die
• The skin may break open and ooze fluid

Other symptoms can include:

• Feeling ill
• Fever
• Sweating
• Chills
• Nausea
• Dizziness
• Weakness
• Shock

Your doctor may diagnose this condition by looking at your skin. You may be diagnosed in an operating room by a surgeon. Tests that may be done include:

• CT scan
• Blood tests
• Skin tissue biopsy

Immediate treatment is needed to prevent death. Treatment includes:

• Powerful, broad-spectrum antibiotics given immediately through a vein (IV)
• Surgery to drain the sore and remove dead tissue
• Special medicines called donor immunoglobulins (antibodies) to help fight the infection in some cases

Other treatments may include:

• Skin grafts after the infection goes away to help your skin heal and look better
• Amputation if the disease spreads through an arm or leg
• 100% oxygen at high pressure (hyperbaric oxygen therapy) for certain types of bacterial infections

How well you do depends on:

• Your overall health (especially if you have diabetes)
• How fast you were diagnosed and how quickly you received treatment
• The type of bacteria causing the infection
• How quickly the infection spreads
• How well treatment works

This disease commonly causes scarring and skin deformity.
Death can occur rapidly without proper treatment.

If you or someone you know, have a soft tissue infection, please go to the ER immediately and/or call our office, 440-946-5858, for an appointment.