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Clinical Presentation, Treatment Options, And The Prognosis Of This Disease

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The general public and even some medical professionals lacks in depth information on Necrotizing Fasciitis. Most Americans have not heard of it or do not have enough information about it to know what to do. It is commonly misdiagnosed and is often fatal because it is not caught in time. I will discuss what it is, what causes it, describe clinical presentation, treatment options, and the prognosis of this disease. In hopes that more people can be made aware of this deadly disease.
Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) has been called the “flesh eating bacteria” by the media. This past summer there were a few cases of this on Galveston beaches. Most likely it was caused by the strain Dr. Edlich talks about in his paper Necrotizing Fasciitis: Background, Pathophysiology, Etiology. He describes it as “a variant necrotizing Type I, or poly microbial strain known as Type I Saltwater Necrotizing Fasciitis, in which a minor skin wound is infected with saltwater containing a Vibrio species.” The National Necrotizing Fasciitis Foundation (NNFF) states that in actuality it is the “decaying infection of the fascia” and not a “flesh eating bacteria.” It does not just affect the fascia, the outer connective tissue bands covering the muscles, and other soft tissues, but it also can destroy the surrounding soft tissues such as skin, fat, blood vessels and nerves. NF is not easily diagnosed and it spreads quickly usually using the fascia as an expressway. It is still a relatively rare disease

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