Flesh-eating bacteria case in LV

A 58-year-old man is in critical condition at University Medical Center after contracting the fleshing-eating bacteria Necrotizing Fasciitis.

Both the hospital and the Clark County Health District have declined to give details on the person's identity or how the bacteria was contracted.

The patient was transferred to UMC from Mountain View Hospital.

"It is very rare," said June Constantino, senior public health nurse at the Clark County Health District. "It's a serious thing and has to do with the immune system."

The bacteria (pronounced neck-row-tize-ing fash-e-i-tis) is usually caused by Strep A bacteria, which is similar to the bacteria that causes Strep throat.

The bacteria usually enters the body through an opening in the skin, which could be as small as a paper cut or pin prick. It also enters through weakened skin.

Necrotizing Fasciitis is not contagious, but may be transferred by respiratory droplets or direct contact with secretions of someone carrying Strep A. Someone could be a carrier and not know it. Fifteen to 30 percent of the population carries Strep A at any given time and has no symptoms.

The best defense is to wash hands frequently, avoid contact with people with sore throats.

Initial symptoms include minor trauma or a skin opening. There will be some pain in the general area.

At the advanced stage, the area will swell and a purple rash occurs. The skin area may begin to show large, dark marks and will blister and fill with a blackish fluid.

The groin, abdomen and extremities are the most common areas to be infected.

For those who survive, skin will have to be removed and skin grafts done. Penicillin is the most common treatment. Minimal scaring, or death could occur.

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