How does flesh eating bacteria reproduce

It may follow a chickenpox infection. Sometimes there is no obvious skin wound or injury. Most often there is sudden onset of pain and swelling with redness at the site of a wound. Fever may also occur. The pain is often far greater than you would expect from the wound or injury.

The pain can sometimes occur at a distance from the wound. It can spread quickly up the affected arm, leg or other body part. This kind of infection can cause gangrene — the death of tissue in a part of the body.

Necrotizing fasciitis is caused by a number of different bacteria. One of these is group A streptococcus. These bacteria are found on the skin or in the nose and throat of healthy people. These bacteria can also cause strep throat, scarlet fever, skin infections and rheumatic fever.

It is not fully understood why group A streptococcus bacteria sometimes cause necrotizing fasciitis. However, these bacteria make toxins that destroy body tissue directly. The bacteria also cause the body's immune system to destroy its own tissue while fighting the infection. Group A streptococcus bacteria spread by contact with saliva or mucus from the mouth, nose or throat of an infected person. The infected person may or may not have symptoms.

When an infected person coughs or sneezes, the bacteria spread through droplets in the air. You can become infected when you breathe in these droplets, touch objects contaminated with them, and then touch your eyes or mucous membranes or put your hands in your mouth. The bacteria can also spread through close personal contact. DermNet provides Google Translate, a free machine translation service.

Note that this may not provide an exact translation in all languages. Home arrow-right-small-blue Topics A—Z arrow-right-small-blue Necrotising fasciitis. Author: Vanessa Ngan, Staff Writer, Necrotising fasciitis is a very serious bacterial infection of the soft tissue and fascia.

The bacteria multiply and release toxins and enzymes that result in thrombosis in the blood vessels. The result is the destruction of the soft tissues and fascia. Bacteria causing type 1 necrotising fasciitis include Staphylococcus aureus , Haemophilus, Vibrio and several other aerobic and anaerobic strains Escherichia coli , Bacteroides fragilis.

It is usually seen in older people or in patients affected by diabetes mellitus or other conditions. Type II necrotising fasciitis has been sensationalised in the media and is commonly referred to as a flesh-eating disease. It affects all age groups. Healthy people are also prone to infection with this group. Type III necrotising fasciitis is caused by Clostridium perfringens or less commonly Clostridium septicum.

It usually follows significant injury or surgery and results in gas under the skin: this makes a crackling sound called crepitus. Necrotising fasciitis due to marine organisms is usually due to contamination of wounds by seawater, cuts by fish fins or stingers, or consumption of raw seafood.

It occurs more commonly in patients with liver disorders. These infections can be very serious and can be fatal if not attended within 48 hours.

Fungal necrotising fasciitis complicates traumatic wounds in immunocompromised people. Other terms used for necrotising fasciitis include haemolytic streptococcal gangrene, Meleney ulcer , acute dermal gangrene, hospital gangrene, suppurative fasciitis, and synergistic necrotising cellulitis.

Necrotising fasciitis affecting perineal , genital , and perianal regions is known as Fournier gangrene. Necrotising fasciitis may occur in anyone, with almost half of all known cases of streptococcal necrotising fasciitis occurring in young and previously healthy individuals. The disease may occur if the right set of conditions is present, these include:. The infection starts in the superficial fascia.

Enzymes and proteins released by the responsible micro-organisms cause necrosis of fascial layers. In doing so, S. The peptide also interfered with normal function in the immune cells that did manage to reach the infection site, preventing them from dispensing an enzyme that would kill the invasive bacteria, the scientists reported.

Based on this observation, the researchers suspected that they could sideline the bacteria's battle plan and treat necrotizing fasciitis with compounds that interacted with neurons — suppressing pain and muffling the release of the peptide that switched off the host's defense responses. They injected mice with S. Botulinum toxin — also known as Botox — works by blocking nerve signals. In the infected mice, this prevented the bacteria from gaining the upper hand, regardless of whether the mice received the nerve-blocking agent before or after they were exposed to S.

In another experiment, the scientists introduced another compound, which blocked the release of the neurotransmitter that paused the host's immune system, also preventing the bacteria from going undetected. Their work revealed not only that neurons play a pivotal role in the progression of necrotizing fasciitis, but also suggested that manipulating neurons might be a path to treating this terrible disease, the researchers concluded.

The study was done in mice, so more research is needed to confirm whether the same mechanisms apply in humans.