Necrotizing fasciitis is a bacterial infection. These bacteria attack the soft tissue, usually in an extremity following minor trauma. There are also many cases of this occurring after surgery, and most often abdominal surgery. NNFF can tell you about people who contracted it after a c-section, after abdominal surgery, after scratching a rash, after giving birth vaginally, from a scratch, after bumping a leg with a golf bag, after a friendly punch in the arm from a buddy, after a little cut on the finger, after a cut on the foot, after a rug burn, after having a routine blood draw in a physical exam, after a broken arm, and after a broken leg, and from no known trauma at all. The bacteria are introduced from a person carrying Strep Type A or from an area where Strep Type A is present.
Infection moves swiftly, usually under the skin, where it is unobservable.
Although healthy people can get invasive GAS disease, those with chronic illnesses like cancer, diabetes, and kidney disease requiring dialysis and those who use medications such as steroids are at higher risk. In addition, breaks in the skin, like cuts, wounds, or chickenpox may provide an opportunity for the bacteria to enter the body. The bacteria usually will not attack muscle or bone. In more advanced cases, major limb amputation is necessary. In addition to the tissue decay, the bacteria causes the rest of the system to go into systemic shock.