Necrotizing fasciitis

Introduction: Necrotizing fasciitis

Necrotizing fasciitis: Necrotizing fasciitis (occasionally described by the media as "the flesh-eating bacteria") destroys muscles, fat, and skin ... more about Necrotizing fasciitis.

Necrotizing fasciitis: A severe, progressive skin infection which causes progressive destruction of skin and underlying tissue. It is caused by certain bacteria and has a high mortality rate. More detailed information about the symptoms, causes, and treatments of Necrotizing fasciitis is available below.

Symptoms of Necrotizing fasciitis

• Painful skin
• Red skin
• Hot skin
• Swollen skin
• Violet skin

See full list of 17 symptoms of Necrotizing fasciitis

Medical Textbooks Online about Necrotizing fasciitis

Book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

Diagnostic Tests for Necrotizing fasciitis

• Blood cultures
• Pus cultures
• Surgical exploration

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Wrongly Diagnosed with Necrotizing fasciitis?

• Misdiagnosis of Necrotizing fasciitis

Causes of Necrotizing fasciitis

• Streptococcus Group A

Read more about causes of Necrotizing fasciitis

Read more about causes of Necrotizing fasciitis.

More information about causes of Necrotizing fasciitis:

• Medical news summaries relating to Causes of Necrotizing fasciitis

Treatments for Necrotizing fasciitis

• Urgent treatment
• Intravenous penicillin and clindamycin
• Surgical debridement (removal of infected tissue)
• Limb amputation

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Patient Surveys for Necrotizing fasciitis

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Prognosis for Necrotizing fasciitis

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Reseach about Necrotizing fasciitis

Visit our research pages for current research about Necrotizing fasciitis treatments.

Clinical Trials for Necrotizing fasciitis

The US based website ClinicalTrials.gov lists information on both federally and privately supported clinical trials using human volunteers.

Some of the clinical trials listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for Necrotizing fasciitis include:

• Hyperglycemia in Surgical Infections - This study is not yet open for patient recruitment (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - Glycemic control
• Daptomycin for the Treatment of Severe Necrotizing Soft-Tissue Infections. - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - Daptomycin 6mg/kg/day

Read more about Clinical Trials for Necrotizing fasciitis

Statistics for Necrotizing fasciitis

• Medical statistics for Necrotizing fasciitis
• Prevalence and incidence statistics for Necrotizing fasciitis
• Death and Mortality statistics for Necrotizing fasciitis
• Society statistics for Necrotizing fasciitis

Medical Guidebooks and Ebooks for Necrotizing fasciitis

• Icon Health Sourcebook for Necrotizing fasciitis

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Article Excerpts about Necrotizing fasciitis

Group A Streptococcal (GAS) Disease General: DBMD (Excerpt)

Necrotizing fasciitis (occasionally described by the media as "the flesh-eating bacteria") destroys muscles, fat, and skin tissue. (Source: excerpt from Group A Streptococcal (GAS) Disease General: DBMD)

Group A Streptococcal Infections, NIAID Fact Sheet: NIAID (Excerpt)

A serious but rare infection (fascia) of the deeper layers of skin and fatty subcutaneous tissues. While many other types of bacteria can cause necrotizing fasciitis, most cases result from GAS. (Source: excerpt from Group A Streptococcal Infections, NIAID Fact Sheet: NIAID)

Definitions of Necrotizing fasciitis:

A fulminating group A streptococcal infection beginning with severe or extensive cellulitis that spreads to involve the superficial and deep fascia, producing thrombosis of the subcutaneous vessels and gangrene of the underlying tissues. A cutaneous lesion usually serves as a portal of entry for the infection, but sometimes no such lesion is found. (Dorland, 28th ed) - (Source - Diseases Database)

Necrotizing fasciitis is listed as a "rare disease" by the Office of Rare Diseases (ORD) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This means that Necrotizing fasciitis, or a subtype of Necrotizing fasciitis, affects less than 200,000 people in the US population.
Source - National Institutes of Health (NIH)