Download Necrotizing Fasciitis - Shorecrest Preparatory School

By Hayden Duerson
A quick overview
 Necrotizing Fasciitis is a bacterial infection in which
the bacteria kill the skin and underlying muscle and
connective tissues.
 It is very rare but very serious and may lead to death
Causes
 Necrotizing fasciitis is caused by a few different kinds
of bacteria which include Group A Streptococci,
Staphylococci as the most common
 Clostridium spp ,Bacteroides and Peptostreptococcus
are often cultured from the infected area.
 The bacteria can be aerobic or anaerobic and enter in
to the skin through some form of physical wound.
Signs of infection
 After some form of physical injury, a small reddish
bump will appear in the skin.
 If left untreated it will become a bronze or purple
colored patch.
 It will then progress to the skin turning black and
dying after which the skin will break open.
The symptoms
 The symptoms mirror that of the flu
 If left untreated the patient will go in to shock and
then die
Treatment
 Powerful broad range antibiotics must be given
through an iv
 The wound must be opened and drained and infected
tissue must be removed
 If it is really serious donor antibodies are given to help
fight the infection
 Occasionally the bacteria will be stronger because it is
anaerobic and the patient must be given hyperbaric
oxygen therapy
How to prevent Necrotizing fasciitis
 There is no true way to prevent the disease
 Good hygiene and cleaning wounds can help to lower
the risk of getting the disease
 It is not usually contagious but you should avoid
contact with people who are infected with MRSA due
to the fact that MRSA may lead to Necrotizing fasciitis
if left unchecked.
The prognosis
 Necrotizing fasciitis has a very high mortality rate of
25% even with treatment but the combined morbidity
and mortality rate is between 70-80%
 Some forms of the disease have mortality rates as high
as 75%
 There are anywhere between 500 and 1000 cases per
year in the united states
 Most infected patients do not have previous medical
conditions and are generally healthy
Works cited
 http://www.trauma.org/images/image_library/fasciitis.jpg
 http://www.antimicrobe.org/photolink/Necrotizing_Fascii
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tis1.jpg
https://www.google.com/health/ref/Necrotizing+soft+tiss
ue+infection
http://www.medicinenet.com/necrotizing_fasciitis/page7.
htm
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1054438-overview
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cYSo06Zxvv8/RsUcfFCeK3I/AA
AAAAAAACI/cRDjlxr8hdk/s400/NYC+EMSnecrotizingfasc
iitis.jpg