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.
600 cases (DBMD) ... see also overview of Necrotizing fasciitis.
approx 1 in 453,333 or 0.00% or 600 people in USA [Source statistic for calcuation: "600 cases (DBMD)" -- see also general information about data sources]
599 per year, 49 per month, 11 per week, 1 per day, 0 per hour, 0 per minute, 0 per second. [Source statistic for calculation: "600 cases (DBMD)" -- see also general information about data sources]
600 were necrotizing fasciitis (Source: excerpt from Group A Streptococcal (GAS) Disease General: DBMD)
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More than 80 types of the causative bacteria S. pyrogenes are in existence, making the epidemiology of GAS infections most complex. Wounds as minor as pinpricks, needle punctures, bruises, blisters, and abrasions or as serious as a traumatic injury or surgical incision can provide an opportunity for bacteria to enter the body.
In necrotizing fasciitis, group A beta-hemolytic Streptococcus and Staphylococcus aureus, working alone or together, are most commonly the primary infecting bacteria. They can enter the host via local tissue injury or through a breach in the integrity of a mucous membrane barrier. Other aerobic and anaerobic pathogens, including Bacteroides, Clostridium, Peptostreptococcus, Enterobacteriaceae, coliforms, Proteus, Pseudomonas, and Klebsiella, may be pres-ent. They can proliferate in an environment of tissue hypoxia caused by trauma, recent surgery, or medical compromise. The end product of this invasion is necrosis of the surrounding tissue, which accelerates the disease process by creating an even more favorable environment for the organisms.
Men are three times more likely to develop this rare condition than women, and the disease rarely occurs in children except in countries with poor hygienic practices. The mean age of the population contracting the disease is 38 to 44 years.
Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005
The term 'prevalence' of Necrotizing fasciitis usually refers to the estimated population of people who are managing Necrotizing fasciitis at any given time. The term 'incidence' of Necrotizing fasciitis refers to the annual diagnosis rate, or the number of new cases of Necrotizing fasciitis diagnosed each year. Hence, these two statistics types can differ: a short-lived disease like flu can have high annual incidence but low prevalence, but a life-long disease like diabetes has a low annual incidence but high prevalence. For more information see about prevalence and incidence statistics.
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