What are the effects of necrotizing fasciitis on the body?
Streptococcal Necrotizing Fasciitis
Necrotizing fasciitis is a serious infection that occurs relatively infrequently. The basic pathology is infection of the fascia overlying muscle groups, often with involvement of the underlying soft tissue. At the fascial level, no barrier exists to stop the spread of infection, so fasciitis may extend widely and rapidly to involve huge areas of the body in a short period.
This process typically involves group A streptococcus (Streptococcus pyogenes) or Staphylococcus aureus.
Other organisms include anaerobic bacteria, especially Bacteroides and Clostridium species. In severe, rapidly progressing forms of this infection treatment must be initiated early in the infection and usually involves extensive surgical debridement of infected tissue in order to prevent a fatal outcome.
Group A strep (GAS) is among the most prevalent human pathogens. Since the mid-1980s, a resurgence of severe streptococcal infections and a high mortality rate due to streptococcal sepsis and toxic shock-like syndrome (STSS) has been reported. Causes of the emergence of STSS, frequently accompanied by necrotizing fasciitis.