One of the infections that may be acquired while in the hospital is necrotizing fasciitis, known by its more common name, flesh-eating bacteria, or the flesh-eating disease.
"Necrotizing" means it causes death; in this case, it doesn't mean death of the patient; rather that the bacteria causes the death of the tissue it infects. "Fasciitis" describes the inflammation of the fascia, which is a band of connective tissue. Necrotizing fasciitis infects, then destroys skin, muscle, fat and organs.
Necrotizing fasciitis can be caused by several different kinds of bacteria. One type is caused by a form of streptococcus (better known for causing strep throat). Another type, which is becoming more common, is necrotizing fasciitis caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Infectious disease experts call necrotizing fasciitis "GAS disease" -- GAS stands for Group A Streptococci.
The disease develops because the bacteria gets into places in the body that don't usually deal with infectious pathogens. The bacteria doesn't really "eat" the body. Instead, it releases toxins that destroy the tissue.
Necrotizing fasciitis symptoms appear in a variety of ways, including pain, vomiting, nausea, and spots appearing on the skin, though the symptoms depend on which of the fascia the bacteria has taken a foothold in.
The bacteria can spread rapidly through the body (sepsis), and needs to be treated quickly. Many patients suffer permanent scarring and may even require amputation of a limb. About 25% of the patients who are infected with necrotizing fasciitis will die from the infection. According to the CDC, 10,000 - 15,000 American patients per year are infected with necrotizing fasciitis. Of them 2,000 to 3,000 die.
Most hospital cases of necrotizing fasciitis occur in patients who have open wounds, in particular those who have either had surgery, or have been hospitalized due to an injury-causing accident. Because of the nature of the infection, necrotizing fasciitis is not a hospital infection that patients can do much to control except to be sure that the wounds stay clean.
To keep a wound clean requires strict adherence to sanitary precautions, including frequent handwashing. It is also recommended that any hospital personnel with open wounds or cuts themselves, or respiratory illness, should not make contact with patients with open wounds to avoid infecting those wounds.
Any patient who will be in the hospital for surgery or any open wound should protect themselves by taking steps to prevent a hospital acquired infection.
Learn about additional infections hospital patients must be be concerned about:
- Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
- Clostridium difficile (C.Diff)
- Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE)
- Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP)
- Also - Central Line Infections - these are not superbugs, rather they are one mode of entry for these infectious agents.
- Sepsis and Septicemia of the blood
- Some advice about preventing hospital infections, too.
References:
Group A Streptococcal (GAS) Disease from the CDC
Necrotizing soft tissue infection from Medline Plus
Necrotizing fasiitis from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services
