What is flesh eating bacteria?

What we call flesh-eating bacteria is really a disease called Necrotizing fasciitis. (NF). (The bacteria itself is frequently  Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) but other flesh-eating bacterias are out there such as Vibrio vulnificus which has been found in Delaware’s waters just waiting for you to ignore your next underwater cut or scrape).  

Whatever the strain, this shit means business.  The bacteria causes an infection that results in the death of parts of the body’s soft tissue.  The severity of the disease, the sudden onset of symptoms, and its 30% fatality rate give it its fierce reputation.  

Do you have Necrotizing fasciitis right now?  

No, you don’t because if you did you’d have red or purple skin in the arm or leg that picked up a cut at the wrong time.  You’d be in severe pain, running a fever and vomiting.  If you cut your foot yesterday, Doctors would be preparing to remove your leg at the knee tonight.   I mean if you are reading this, you don’t have it yet but probably will have it if you swim or work in Delaware’s bays.  

How do you get Necrotizing fasciitis? 

Typically, the infection enters the body through a break in the skin such as a cut or burn.  You can increase your risk of contracting it by having a degraded immune system, from diabetes, cancer, obesity or alcoholism or drug abuse.  But you can’t catch it from your infected family member.  Not unless you work at it for some reason, rubbing your wounds on theirs.   YUCK!

How do you NOT get Necrotizing fasciitis?

You could move to a planet that isn’t under attack from late-stage capitalism.  That would be a good start.  Or, if you don’t have the money for a spaceship, but you have a robust immune system, you can lower your risk with proper wound care.   But even proper wound care isn’t foolproof.  Typically it is treated with surgery to remove the infected tissue, and intravenous antibiotics.  Because we are talking about super-bacteria, a combination of antibiotics is often used, such as penicillin G, clindamycin, vancomycin, and gentamicin.

Delays in surgery are associated with a much higher risk of death. Even with high-quality treatment, the risk of death is about 30%.

Ed Note:  This was taken almost entirely from Wikipedia because I was curious and thought you might be too.