How many cases of necrotizing fasciitis

The bacteria actually cause extensive tissue damage because the tissues under the skin and those surrounding muscle and body organs are destroyed; necrotizing fasciitis is extensive and can lead to death.

The flesh-eating infections have been described as early as the fifth century B. More than 2, cases of this condition were reported among soldiers during the Civil War. Cases in the U. Persons with the flesh-eating infection know something is wrong because of extreme pain in the infected area. Generally, an infection begins at a surgical wound or because of accidental trauma—sometimes without an obvious break in the skin—accompanied by severe pain, followed by swelling, fever, and sometimes confusion.

The skin in the infected area can become tight and discolored from the swelling. It can spread quickly up the affected arm, leg or other body part. This kind of infection can cause gangrene — the death of tissue in a part of the body. Necrotizing fasciitis is caused by a number of different bacteria. One of these is group A streptococcus. These bacteria are found on the skin or in the nose and throat of healthy people.

These bacteria can also cause strep throat, scarlet fever, skin infections and rheumatic fever. It is not fully understood why group A streptococcus bacteria sometimes cause necrotizing fasciitis.

However, these bacteria make toxins that destroy body tissue directly. The bacteria also cause the body's immune system to destroy its own tissue while fighting the infection. Group A streptococcus bacteria spread by contact with saliva or mucus from the mouth, nose or throat of an infected person.

The infected person may or may not have symptoms. When an infected person coughs or sneezes, the bacteria spread through droplets in the air. You can become infected when you breathe in these droplets, touch objects contaminated with them, and then touch your eyes or mucous membranes or put your hands in your mouth.

The bacteria can also spread through close personal contact. For example, kissing or sharing drinking cups, forks, spoons or cigarettes.

It causes the body to go into shock and involves low blood pressure and multiple organ failure. While anyone can get necrotizing fasciitis, it is rare. Most cases of necrotizing fasciitis occur randomly. It is very rare for someone with necrotizing fasciitis to spread the infection to other people.

For this reason, doctors usually do not give preventive antibiotics to close contacts of someone with necrotizing fasciitis. Since , approximately to cases occur each year in the United States.

This is likely an underestimate. According to ABCs data, the number of annual group A strep necrotizing fasciitis infections reported to ABCs does not appear to be rising. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link. Section Navigation. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate. Minus Related Pages. On This Page.

Early symptoms of necrotizing fasciitis can include: A red, warm, or swollen area of skin that spreads quickly Severe pain, including pain beyond the area of the skin that is red, warm, or swollen Fever. The overall mortality rate of necrotizing fasciitis related deaths in the United States from was 4.

Developing Countries Necrotizing fasciitis is more common in developing countries because of low socioeconomic status and poor standards of hygiene. Diagnosing and treating the "flesh-eating bacteria syndrome " ". Cleve Clin J Med. PMID Rev Rhum Mal Osteoartic. Epidemiol Infect. Ann Surg. PMC Indian J Plast Surg. CS1 maint: Multiple names: authors list link. Cookies help us deliver our services. By using our services, you agree to our use of cookies.

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