Necrotizing fasciitis, commonly known as flesh-eating bacteria, is caused by an infection from the group A streptococcus (GAS) bacterium family, reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The infection is a fast-growing condition that destroys skin tissue, fat and muscle. It is a severe and uncommon invasive disease that kills nearly 25 percent of patients who get it.
Treatment
The most basic treatment for GAS infections is various antibiotics delivered intravenously, including high doses of penicillin and clindamycin.
Considerations
Because of the severity of the disease and the subsequent complications that can occur, CDC doctors report that many patients must be hospitalized in an intensive care unit.
Prevention/Solution
If the infection is a result of oxygen-avoiding bacteria, patients may be placed on hyperbaric oxygen therapy in a closed chamber that delivers 100 percent high-pressure oxygen.
Surgery
When caught early enough, surgery is recommended to drain and remove the affected areas and prevent the spread of the infection.
Risks
When the infection is in a limb and cannot be stopped with surgery or medications, the limb often must be amputated.
Warning
Doctors at the National Institutes of Health report that often, donor antibodies are injected directly into the site to fight the infection.
