How do streptococcus eat

Public health experts believe group A Streptococcus group A strep are the most common cause of necrotizing fasciitis. This web page only focuses on necrotizing fasciitis caused by group A strep bacteria. However, people can also get necrotizing fasciitis after an injury that does not break the skin blunt trauma. Necrotizing means causing the death of tissues. Fasciitis means inflammation of the fascia the tissue under the skin that surrounds muscles, nerves, fat, and blood vessels.

The infection often spreads very quickly. Early symptoms of necrotizing fasciitis can include:. See a doctor right away if you have these symptoms after an injury or surgery. Even though minor illnesses can cause symptoms like these, people should not delay getting medical care. Necrotizing fasciitis is a very serious illness that requires care in a hospital. Antibiotics and surgery are typically the first lines of defense if a doctor suspects a patient has necrotizing fasciitis.

Since necrotizing fasciitis can spread so rapidly, patients often must get surgery done very quickly. Doctors also give antibiotics through a needle into a vein IV antibiotics to try to stop the infection.

Sometimes, however, antibiotics cannot reach all of the infected areas because the bacteria have killed too much tissue and reduced blood flow. Antibiotics are an important part of the treatment for necrotizing fasciitis. However, antibiotics on their own are not usually enough. This is because necrotizing fasciitis cuts off the blood supply to body tissue, and the antibiotics must be carried by blood to the infected site to work.

Surgery, combined with antibiotics, is the usual treatment. Your chances of getting necrotizing fasciitis caused by group A streptococcus are very low. Even if you have close contact with a person with necrotizing fasciitis for a long time, the chance of getting it is very low. Some people are known to have a higher risk of getting the disease.

Injection drug use is the biggest risk factor. Other risk factors include:. A recent chickenpox infection can greatly increase the risk of getting necrotizing fasciitis. Although chickenpox does not account for very many cases, streptococcus skin infections can be a complication of chickenpox. Everyone who has not had chickenpox or the chickenpox varicella vaccine should get the vaccine.

Skip to main content. Last Updated:. February It may be, for example, that the genes the bacteria use to survive in people with strep throat are very different from those that are used for infections in muscles. It's possible that developing drugs that inhibit these transporters could lead to better treatments for flesh-eating disease caused by group A strep, although much more research is needed to explore this idea, Musser said.

It's also important to note that, for most of the study, the researchers used a model of necrotizing myositis infection in monkeys. But when the researchers tested human tissue from a patient with a flesh-eating infection, they found that at least six of the "key" genes identified in the monkey model were also activated in human disease.

This suggests that the findings have implications for people too. Rachael has been with Live Science since In addition, breaks in the skin like cuts, wounds, or chickenpox may provide an opportunity for the bacteria to enter the body.

GAS infections can be treated with many different antibiotics. Early treatment may reduce the risk of death, although it unfortunately may not prevent death in every case. The spread of GAS infection may be reduced by good handwashing, especially after coughing and sneezing, before preparing foods, and before eating.

Persons with sore throats should be seen by a doctor who can perform tests to find out whether it is strep throat. Persons with strep throat should stay home from work, school, or day care until 24 hours or more after taking an antibiotic.

All wounds should be kept clean and watched for possible signs of infection including increasing redness, swelling, drainage, and pain at the wound site. A person with signs of an infected wound, especially if fever develops, should seek medical care.