Necrotizing soft tissue infection

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Necrobiosis lipoidica diabeticorum - abdomen

Necrobiosis lipoidica diabeticorum - leg

Necrotizing soft-tissue infection is a severe type of tissue infection that can involve the skin, subcutaneous fat, the muscle sheath (fascia), and the muscle. It can cause gangrene, tissue death, systemic disease, and death.

Necrotizing fasciitis; Fasciitis - necrotizing; Flesh-eating bacteria; Soft tissue gangrene; Gangrene - soft-tissue

Necrotizing subcutaneous infection or fasciitis can be caused by a variety of bacteria including oxygen-using bacteria (aerobic) or oxygen-avoiding bacteria (anaerobic). A very severe and usually fatal fasciitis is caused by a deadly species of streptococcus called "flesh-eating bacteria" by the press.

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This type of infection develops when bacteria enter the body, usually through a minor skin injury or abrasion. The bacteria begin to grow and release toxins that:

• Directly kill tissue
• Interfere with the blood flow to the tissue
• Digest materials in the tissue, which rapidly spreads the bacteria
• Cause widespread effects, such as shock

Infection may begin as a small reddish painful spot or bump on the skin. This quickly changes to a painful bronzed or purplish patch that expands rapidly. The center may become black and dead (necrotic). The skin may break open. Visible expansion of the infection may occur in less than an hour.

Symptoms may include fever, sweating, chills, nausea, dizziness, profound weakness, and finally shock. Without treatment death can occur rapidly.

Review Date: 11/09/2005
Reviewed By: Kenneth Wener, M.D., Division of Infectious Diseases, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.