Last month, year-old Jerry Sebek became infected during a fishing trip near Palacios, Texas, and died two weeks later, per an article published in June 23, , in MySanAntonio. More recently, year-old Gary Evans was diagnosed with necrotizing fasciitis after going crabbing along the Gulf of Mexico on the Fourth of July.
Evans, whose wife said had been in good health prior to the infection, died four days later, according to an article published July 12, , in the Victoria Advocate.
Necrotizing fasciitis is rarely contagious, but it can be tricky to diagnose because its symptoms resemble other conditions or types of infection. Proper care of any cuts or injuries can prevent infection, and the CDC advises people with an open wound or skin infection to avoid hot tubs, swimming pools, and natural bodies of water, such as lakes and oceans. Schaffner cautions that children, the elderly, and people with a weakened immune system are at higher risk of infection.
When it occurs on the genitals, it is called Fournier gangrene. Necrotizing fasciitis is very rare but serious. Many people who get necrotizing fasciitis are in good health before they get the infection. Your risk of getting this infection is higher if you:. Necrotizing fasciitis is caused by several kinds of bacteria. Some of these bacteria also cause infections such as strep throat and impetigo. Usually the infections caused by these bacteria are mild. But in rare cases they can cause a more dangerous infection.
You can get necrotizing fasciitis when bacteria enter a wound, such as from an insect bite, a burn, or a cut. You can also get it in:. The bacteria that cause necrotizing fasciitis can be passed from person to person through close contact, such as touching the wound of the infected person. But this rarely happens unless the person who is exposed to the bacteria has an open wound, chickenpox, or an impaired immune system.
The symptoms often start suddenly after an injury. You may need medical care right away if you have pain that gets better over 24 to 36 hours and then suddenly gets worse. The pain may be much worse than you would expect from the size of the wound or injury.
You may also have:. The infection may spread rapidly. It quickly can become life-threatening. Many factors can play into the final outcome of a patient with necrotizing fasciitis. As stated above, risk of death can remain high despite appropriate treatment. However, patients with this life-threatening infection can survive and be cured, particularly if the diagnosis is made early in the course of infection and the appropriate management strategies are implemented quickly.
The flu shot is one of the most effective ways to protect yourself and those around you from illness. However, flu shots and other preventive health resources are not offered or accessed equally across different racial groups.
By clicking "Subscribe" you agree to our Terms of Use. We'll be in touch every so often with health tips, patient stories, important resources and other information you need to keep you and your family healthy. What is necrotizing fasciitis?
How does a person get it? What makes it so dangerous? More than 2, cases of this condition were reported among soldiers during the Civil War. Cases in the U. Persons with the flesh-eating infection know something is wrong because of extreme pain in the infected area. Generally, an infection begins at a surgical wound or because of accidental trauma—sometimes without an obvious break in the skin—accompanied by severe pain, followed by swelling, fever, and sometimes confusion. The skin in the infected area can become tight and discolored from the swelling.
Unless treatment is initiated promptly, shock and death usually follow in a short time. The general public remains safe from this disease.
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