Flesh Eating Bacteria

Medical Topic of the Day:  A lot of hub-bub about flesh eating bacteria in the news these days.  It seems pretty horrific, so let's take a look at it.

Off The Top of My Head:  I've never seen it before.  I assume it is fairly rare or we would all be heaping mounds of dissolving flesh.


My Research Today:  Technically called "necrotizing fasciitis" it is an infection of certain types of bacteria.  The most common type of necrotizing fasciitis is streptococcus pyogenes.  Basically it is an infection introduced from a laceration in the skin that starts in the tissues just below the skin.

These sub dermal flat layers of tissue are called fascia.  It can also penetrate the blood stream causing septic shock and death in 30 to 40% of cases.  The term necrotizing comes from the fact that the bacteria creates harmful toxins which destroys surrounding tissue and effect blood flow to infected regions.

Looks like a road map to hell.

Technically any bacteria can be "flesh-eating" it is just a matter of how far the infection progresses.  Most bacterial infections respond well to antibiotic therapy.  The people most susceptible to these kinds of infection are immuno-compromised although it is possible but exceedingly rare to have it occur in a healthy individual.

How can you prevent necrotizing fasciitis?  Well, you should wash your hands and the area thoroughly when you get cut.  Don't ignore redness, swelling, or increasing pain to the area.  And take the whole damn course of antibiotics when you are prescribed them.  If you have left-over antibiotics then you did not take them properly.  Don't be a dumbass.

I'm done for the night.  Type at you later.  Don't google image search necrotizing fasciitis.  Special shout out to my friend Jenni who requested this topic.

Quest To 180:
Biked 6 miles today and walked another mile.  12K steps today.  Haven't weighed myself yet.  Thinking about it.

The MAN:
Got a hookup for a wingman. Now just got to get myself there. My new resume is complete so I am feeling excited about that.