Diagnosis of necrotizing fasciitis (NF) can prove extremely challenging. The condition has many of the same characteristics as cellulitis, and is often diagnosed incorrectly as such.(1) The resulting delay in implementing appropriate treatment can prove catastrophic in such a rapidly progressing condition.

One key differentiator between NF and cellulitis  is the higher intensity of pain experienced by patients with NF.(1,2)  Excessive pain should therefore raise the…

Necrotizing fasciitis (NF), or the ‘flesh-eating bug’ as it tends to be known in the press, is an extremely rapidly progressing infection that is difficult to manage and can lead to significant morbidity and mortality.

While anyone with an infection may in theory develop NF, in practice the majority of patients with NF (82%) have an immunosuppressive condition such as diabetes mellitus or renal insufficiency,¹ have a history of alcohol abuse,¹ or are…

Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is a life-threatening soft tissue infection a condition, often referred to in the press as the ‘flesh-eating bug’ on account of the speed with which the infection spreads.  The condition was first described by Hippocrates around the fifth century, and the term “necrotizing fasciitis” was coined by Joseph Jones, a former Confederate Army surgeon, in 1871.(1) Some infecting organisms in NF have been reported to progress at about 3 centimeters per hour, meaning that…

Over the previous few weeks, we have looked at the condition known as vasculitis, in which the blood vessels become inflamed, leading to necrosis, hemorrhage, ischemia, and infarction. Vasculitis may either be caused by one of a number of identifiable conditions (including diseases of the connective tissue, malignancy, or a drug reaction) or can be idiopathic with no identifiable cause.

The true prevalence of vasculitis is poorly understood because epidemiological studies are…