Topic Overview What is necrotizing fasciitis? Your risk of getting this infection is higher if you: Have a weak immune system. Have chronic health problems such as diabetes , cancer, or liver or kidney disease. Have cuts in your skin, including surgical wounds. Recently had chickenpox or other viral infections that cause a rash. Use steroid medicines, which can lower the body's resistance to infection.
What causes necrotizing fasciitis? 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. An intestinal surgery site, or in tumours or gunshot injuries in the intestines. A muscle strain or bruise, even if there is no break in the skin. What are the symptoms? You may also have: Skin that is red, swollen, and hot to the touch. A fever and chills.
Nausea and vomiting. How is necrotizing fasciitis diagnosed? How is it treated? Treatment may include: Surgery that removes infected tissue and fluids to stop the spread of infection. Surgery is almost always needed. Most people need several surgeries to control the infection. Removing limbs amputation or organs may be done to save the person's life, depending on how severe the infection is and where it has spread.
Medicines such as antibiotics. These kill the bacteria causing the infection. Procedures to treat complications such as shock, breathing problems, and organ failure. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
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. Prompt Treatment Is Key. Diagnosis Can Be Difficult and Acting Fast Is Key There are many infections that look similar to necrotizing fasciitis in the early stages, which can make diagnosis difficult.
In addition to looking at the injury or infection, doctors can diagnose necrotizing fasciitis by: Taking a tissue sample biopsy Looking at bloodwork for signs of infection and muscle damage Imaging CT scan, MRI, ultrasound of the damaged area However, it is important to start treatment as soon as possible.
Use soap and water to clean all minor cuts and injuries. They may not be obvious at first and can be similar to less serious conditions, such as flu , gastroenteritis or cellulitis. If left untreated, the infection can spread quickly through the body and cause symptoms such as dizziness , weakness and confusion.
Blood tests and scans may be carried out to find out what's causing your symptoms, although a diagnosis of necrotising fasciitis can usually only be confirmed by having an operation to examine the affected tissue. People with necrotising fasciitis often need to be looked after in an intensive care unit and may need to stay in hospital for several weeks.
While in hospital, they may be isolated from other patients to reduce the risk of spreading the infection. Necrotising fasciitis can progress very quickly and lead to serious problems, such as blood poisoning sepsis and organ failure. People who survive the infection are sometimes left with long-term disability as a result of amputation or the removal of a lot of infected tissue. They may also need further surgery to improve the appearance of the affected area and ongoing rehabilitation support to help them adapt to their disability.
The bacteria lives in the gut, throat and, in some people, on the skin, where they do not usually cause any serious problems. In rare cases, the bacteria can cause necrotising fasciitis if they get into deep tissue, either through the bloodstream or an injury or wound, such as:.
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