A man in Florida experienced a severe “flesh-eating” infection in his thigh after being bitten by a relative during a family altercation, according to livescience.com. Donnie Adams noticed the presence of a small bump on his thigh after the incident and demanded medical treatment, but within days his leg became more and more sore, warm, and painful.
Doctors diagnosed the patient with necrotizing fasciitis, a condition that causes infected tissue to rapidly die. Necrotizing fasciitis is commonly caused by bacteria, including group A Streptococcus, and can enter the body through skin breaks such as cuts or bites.
The first case of necrotizing fasciitis caused by a human bite
Adams underwent multiple surgeries and a lengthy recovery period. The doctors treating him stated that it was the first case of necrotizing fasciitis caused by a human bite that they had encountered. Adams’ leg has since healed but bears significant scarring.
You should never neglect the danger of necrotizing fasciitis. Here’s what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has to say about it:
Necrotizing fasciitis (NECK-re-tie-zing FASH-e-i-tis) is a rare bacterial infection that spreads quickly in the body and can cause death.
Accurate diagnosis, rapid antibiotic treatment, and prompt surgery are important to stopping this infection.
See a doctor right away if your skin becomes red, warm, swollen, or very painful soon after an injury or surgery.
The same government agency reveals that necrotizing fasciitis is typically contracted when bacteria find a way to enter the human body through openings that are present in our skin. These openings can be caused by various factors, not only bites. Cuts, burns, insect bites, scrapes, puncture wounds (including those resulting from IV drug use), or surgical incisions can also do the job, unfortunately.
