Health & Medicine

Early Diagnosis Required For Flesh Eating Bacterial Infection

Brooke Miller
First Posted: Sep 18, 2012 10:31 AM EDT

There is need for a high index suspicion for flesh eating bacterial infection in patients who report pain or other symptoms that are out of proportion.

This emphasis on detailed examination and diagnosis was the outcome of a study conducted by Dr. Russell Russo, an Orthopedic Surgeon at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans, and other researchers.

The details carried out in the September2012 issue of Orthopedics state that though this flesh eating bacteria infection is very rare, and at the same time difficult to diagnose they often resemble other conditions such as synovitis or cellutitis, a missed diagnosis could lead to amputation or death.

 "The infection can rapidly spread at a rate of 1 cm per hour," notes Dr. Russo. "People who have their surgery and debridement within 10 to 24 hours once they hit the door, do much better than the patients for whom the diagnosis is not made for days."

Dr. Russo says, "A hands-on physical examination is necessary to recognize the condition early because X-rays, CT scans and other imaging tests may not detect the disease and are time-consuming."

"Pain out of proportion to physical findings, nausea, fever, hypotension, mental confusion, loss of sensation, skin discoloration, crepitus or necrosis all signal necrotizing fasciitis," Dr. Russo emphasizes.

The flesh eating bacterial infection that is otherwise known as necrotizing fasciitis is caused by many types of bacteria such as Group A Streptococcus pyogenes and Group B Streptococcus infections.  In some cases, patients can have more than one type of bacteria.

Nearly 50 percent of this disease occurs in healthy people and can result from cuts, insect bites, or blunt trauma. It has been reported in healthy kids who got hit playing football and suddenly contracted necrotizing fasciitis.

"About 45 percent of patients do not recall obvious injuries, such as cuts, scrapes, injections or bruises that may have led to infections," says Dr. Russo. "If you have a red, warm arm, address it, and do not wait."

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