When this happens, doctors have to surgically remove the dead tissue. It is not unusual for someone with necrotizing fasciitis to end up needing multiple surgeries. In serious cases, the patient may need a blood transfusion. 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:.
However, it is important to start treatment as soon as possible. Therefore, doctors may not wait for test results if they think a patient might have necrotizing fasciitis.
Necrotizing fasciitis can lead to sepsis , shock, and organ failure. It can also result in life-long complications from loss of limbs or severe scarring due to surgically removing infected tissue. Even with treatment, up to 1 in 3 people with necrotizing fasciitis die from the infection.
Six out of every 10 people who get both necrotizing fasciitis and streptococcal toxic shock syndrome at the same time die from their infections. Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome is another very serious illness caused by group A strep.
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. One feature of necrotizing fasciitis is "pain that's out of proportion" to the wound, said Dr.
People with the condition often report "exquisite pain and sensitivity," Glatter told Live Science. Some patients may also experience crackling sounds or sensations due to the presence of air under the tissue, he added. Some species of bacteria that cause necrotizing fasciitis produce gas, which results in air under the tissue.
Other early symptoms include a red or swollen area of skin around the cut that spreads quickly, and pain beyond the area of skin that's red, according to the CDC. People who have these symptoms after injury should see their doctor right away, the CDC says. Symptoms often begin within hours of injury. Patients may also experience flu-like symptoms , including fever, stomachache, nausea, diarrhea, chills and body aches, according to the National Institutes of Health's Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center GARD.
Later symptoms of the condition include ulcers, blisters or black spots on the skin and pus oozing from the infected area, the CDC says. 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:.
Necrotising fasciitis can also be a rare side effect of a type of diabetes medicine known as sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 SGLT2 inhibitors. Anyone can get necrotising fasciitis, including young and otherwise healthy people, but it tends to affect older people and those in poor general health. If you're in close contact with someone who has necrotising fasciitis, you may be given a course of antibiotics to reduce your risk of infection. Page last reviewed: 10 April Next review due: 10 April Necrotising fasciitis.
Symptoms of necrotising fasciitis The symptoms of necrotising fasciitis develop quickly over hours or days. Early symptoms can include: a small but painful cut or scratch on the skin intense pain that's out of proportion to any damage to the skin a high temperature fever and other flu-like symptoms After a few hours to days, you may develop: swelling and redness in the painful area — the swelling will usually feel firm to the touch diarrhoea and vomiting dark blotches on the skin that turn into fluid-filled blisters If left untreated, the infection can spread quickly through the body and cause symptoms such as dizziness , weakness and confusion.
When to get medical help Necrotising fasciitis is a medical emergency that requires immediate treatment. Treatments for necrotising fasciitis Necrotising fasciitis needs to be treated in hospital.
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