Necrotizing Fasciitis: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment

Running head: NECROTIZING FASCIITIS
NECROTIZING FASCIITIS
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1NECROTIZING FASCIITIS
Introduction
Necrotizing fasciitis is a bacterial infection and is commonly addressed as flesh-eating
disease. It is considered as an acute bacterial infection, which spreads very rapidly through
the human tissue adjacent to the muscles. Every one in four people die due to necrotizing
fasciitis with the early onset of death within 12-24 hours. Necrotizing fasciitis most
commonly affects the perineum and limbs of the infected person (Graham, 2019). The onset
of infection initiates through any kind of burn or cut in the skin and can destroy the fat, tissue
and skin casing the muscle of an individual in a short span of time. Necrotizing fasciitis is a
rare but a very serious condition affecting people with higher risk of chronic health issues
like cancer, diabetes and kidney problems, any surgical wounds, viral infection leading to
rashes, weakened immune system and consumption of steroids medicines that will lower the
resistance of human body to cope up with any infection (Brennan & Fevre, 2019). Hence,
required diagnosis is performed to identify the presence of bacteria causing Necrotizing
fasciitis and further proceeding with treatment.

2NECROTIZING FASCIITIS
Etiology of the disease
Necrotizing fasciitis is normally triggered due to infection arising from the group of
bacteria belonging to Staphylococcus aureus that is commonly referred as “flesh-eating
bacteria”. Staphylococcus aureus is considered as the most prevalent species involved in this
infection and are characterized by separation or isolation of S. pyogenes, either in presence or
absence of any additional bacterial species (Cdc.gov, 2019). S. pyogenes cultivate in chains
and are gram-positive in nature and is also referred under group A strep or group A
Streptococcus. Streptococcus necrotizing fasciitis occurs usually after trauma or surgery and
is considered as a very rare infection that can also occur as super infection hence
complicating varicella lesions (Park et al., 2019).
Causes of the disease
Necrotizing fasciitis is caused due to several kinds or groups of bacteria with the most
common and prevalent type of Staphylococcus aureus. However, this is not the only group of
bacteria leading to necrotizing fasciitis, other group of bacteria’s are also involved under the
causes of necrotizing fasciitis such as (nhs.uk, 2019):
 Clostridium
 E.coli Aeromonas hydrophila
 Staphylococcus aureus
 Klebsiella
The above group of bacteria’s can lead to infections in the throat, skin and gut of the
infected person where no such serious issues can develop. The main concern of arises when
the bacteria enters in the deep tissues through injury, wound or bloodstream such as insects
bites, surgical wounds, scratches and cuts and wound caused by injecting drugs (Hirji,