There are no flesh-eating bacteria as such. But there is a group that can cause necrotizing fasciitis that causes amputation and even death.
A few days ago an American model, Jennifer Barlow, narrated how he had suffered the amputation of one of his legs. The cause, the infection by a ‘flesh-eating bacteria’ produced while swimming in the sea. The infection led to a fasciitis necrotizing which kept her, according to the patient, admitted to a hospital for three months.
The news has gone around the world, and it always talks about ‘flesh-eating bacteria that live in the sea’. But do they really exist ‘carnivorous bacteria’ that can attack us in the sea?
Specialists answer all questions
To know the reality of this worrying news and avoid unnecessary alarms in the population regarding this information, the Infectious Diseases and Sepsis Working Group (GTEIS) of the Spanish Society of Intensive Care Medicine and Coronary Units (SEMICYUC) wants to clarify all doubts about this type of bacterial infections and the consequences they can have on our body, since ignorance of them is usually the source of controversy and alarm.
As indicated by the Dr. David Andaluzcoordinator of the GTEIS of the SEMICYUC and Intensivist doctor of the Palencia University Care Complex,:
- “It is important to know the scope of an infection, but it is equally important to know the possibilities and the context in which they can occur, as well as the tools we currently have to treat them and prevent them from getting worse.”
Do flesh-eating bacteria exist?
Reading flesh-eating bacteria is scary. But we must be calm because There are NO carnivorous bacteria.
- “What does exist It is a varied group of bacteria of different genres that, among other sources, can cause infections that affect the skin, the underlying tissues and, in the most serious cases, the fascia (the membrane that surrounds the muscle). In this last case is when we would talk about Necrotizing fasciitisexplains Dr. Andaluz.
How do bacteria like “Vibrio Vulnificus?
The “Vibrio Vulnificus” It is one of the bacteria that exists naturally in coastal waters and that according to the United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention “rarely causes disease”.
When it does, the infection generally begins in the skin, through a wound or local trauma, and as detailed by SEMICYUC:
- “The bacteria proliferate, producing toxins and enzymes that favor the extension of the infection in depth, generating necrosis of the underlying tissues and fascia, in addition to the formation of clots in the microvessels.”
When this occurs, it can cause organic damage, either in the area where the infection occurred or in other areas (kidney, liverlungs, etc.).
- “In this situation, we would talk about sepsis with evolution to multi-organ failure, which is what could lead to the death of the patient.”
Are they frequent infections?
No. According to the calculations of intensivists, there are 0.3 to 15 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. Furthermore, these infections can be of two types:
- Type I: It is usually caused by various bacteria and It usually affects people who suffer from chronic diseases liver disease, diabetes or immunosuppression.
- Type II: in these cases the infection It is caused by a single bacteria, usually of the genus Streptococcus or, less frequently, Staphylococcus, which It affects younger people, with few health problems but who may have a history of intravenous drug use, trauma, or recent surgery.
Does being infected by these bacteria mean suffering from necrotizing fasciitis?
Neither. We must not forget that we regularly coexist with these bacteria. So if an infection occurs, that this evolves into necrotizing fasciitis only occurs in a small percentage of patients with the risk factors already mentioned, in which said pathogens cause a skin infection.
If a early diagnosis and treatment The infection does not have to get worse.
Does necrotizing fasciitis require amputation of the infected limb?
No. “Only in extreme cases and with poor evolution amputation of the affected area may be necessary,” explain the specialists.
- Before If it reaches this extreme, necrotizing fasciitis will be treated by performing a surgical intervention to open the lesion, clean it, and remove dead tissue or damaged (debridement), and the patient will be given antibiotics.
“In addition, it is advisable to perform surgical reviews of the area periodically (24-48 hours), with washing of the affected tissues and debridement, as necessary,” add the intensivists.
Can a patient with necrotizing fasciitis die?
“The Necrotizing fasciitis has a high mortality It will depend on different factors, such as the characteristics of the patient or the causative germ. In general, there is talk of a mortality that ranges between 15 and 30%”.
Everything will depend on two circumstances, that the pathology is diagnosed in time and that aggressive treatment is applied.
But it’s not just mortality. This disease that we now attribute to “carnivorous bacteria” If it is not treated in time, it can cause serious injuries.
- “For this reason, the management of these patients must be carried out in an Intensive Medicine Service, since they require close monitoring, frequent cures and nursing care, intense sedation and analgesia and, frequently, organic support techniques (mechanical ventilation, dialysis, etc.) ”, they conclude from SEMYUC.