When Carol Martin returned home from her family vacation to Clearwater, Florida, she noticed a sore on her butt. She assumed it was just a pimple, and went about her day. But the "pimple" turned out to be a flesh-eating bacteria, local Indianapolis news station WTTV reported.
Carol sought treatment at an urgent care center when she noticed that the sore was growing, WTTV reported. She was sent home twice with antibiotics and a heating pad. But on her third visit, doctors did a biopsy and found that she had necrotizing fasciitis, WFLA reported.
This bacterial infection enters the body through a break in the skin.
Necrotizing fasciitis is a bacterial skin infection that spreads and kills the body's soft tissue, according to the Centers for Disease and Control (CDC). The infection is most commonly caused when bacteria enters the body through a break in the skin, but it can also develop as a complication of surgical procedures, according to the Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center (GARD). Additionally, medical conditions that weaken the immune system such as diabetes, kidney disease, or cancer may increase the risk of necrotizing fasciitis, according to the CDC.
Carol was rushed into surgery and spent 16 days in intensive care, but she died at home just days after she was released, news station WFLA reported. Although her situation was rare, necrotizing fasciitis can affect anyone, according to the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD).
The condition spreads quickly, so it's important to know the symptoms.
Symptoms of necrotizing fasciitis often start within a few hours of the infection, according to NORD. The first symptoms are often pain or soreness that feel similar to that of a pulled muscle, according to the CDC. The skin may also feel warm and have red or purple areas of swelling and some people may get ulcers, blisters, or black spots on their skin, according to the CDC. Later symptoms include fever, chills, fatigue, and vomiting, according to the GARD.
You should seek prompt medical treatment because antibiotic treatment and surgery to remove dead tissue are required to treat the infection.
The most simple way to prevent necrotizing fasciitis is to all wounds clean and covered, including minor scrapes and cuts, according to the CDC. It's also important to avoid spending time in whirlpools, hot tubs, swimming pools, and natural bodies of water until your wound heals, according to the CDC.
