Necrotizing fasciitis history and symptoms
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Yamuna Kondapally, M.B.B.S[2]
Overview
Overview
During early stages, the symptoms of necrotizing fasciitis are non-specific. Symptoms include fever, nausea, and fatigue.[1][2]
History
History
Specific areas of focus when obtaining a history from the patient include history of:[1][2]
- Minor trauma
- Insect and human bites (soft tissue injury penetrating lesions)
- Recent surgery
- Injection sites
- Illicit intravenous drug use
- Previous MRSA colonization or clindamycin-resistant streptococcal infection
- Skin infection and ulcers
- Foreign travel (resistant or unusual organisms)
- Trauma involving soil contamination (fungal culture)
- Raw seafood ingestion
- Wound exposure to sea water
- Tonsillitis
- Close contacts with impetigo or sore throat
- NSAID‘s use
- Vaginitis
- Immunosupression
- Diabetes mellitus
- Peripheral vascular disease
- Alcoholism
- Carcinoma
- Smoking
- Varicella infection
- Burns
Symptoms
Symptoms
| Type 1 NF | Type 2 NF |
|---|---|
| • Intense pain (out of proportion to examination) • Numbness • Fatigue • Fever • Altered sensorium |
• Intense pain (out of proportion to examination) • GI (nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea) • Fever • Flu like symptoms (aches, chills, and fever) • Fatigue |
- Based on severity of symptoms, necrotizing fasciitis is classified into:[3]
- Hyperacute (within 24 h of the inciting event):
- Vibrio species are the notable causative agents
- Extremely fulminant course with considerable involvement of surrounding tissue
- Severe septicemia
- Multiorgan failure
- Sub-acute (indolent):
- Areas of soft tissue infections with minimal pain and discomfort
- Progress over weeks to months
- Hyperacute (within 24 h of the inciting event):
References
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Puvanendran R, Huey JC, Pasupathy S (2009). “Necrotizing fasciitis”. Can Fam Physician. 55 (10): 981–7. PMC 2762295. PMID 19826154.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Taviloglu K, Yanar H (2007). “Necrotizing fasciitis: strategies for diagnosis and management”. World J Emerg Surg. 2: 19. doi:10.1186/1749-7922-2-19. PMC 1988793. PMID 17683625.
- ↑ Wong CH, Wang YS (2005). “The diagnosis of necrotizing fasciitis”. Curr Opin Infect Dis. 18 (2): 101–6. PMID 15735411 PMID 15735411 Check
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