Abstract
BackgroundVibrio vulnificus has been reported as the leading causative pathogen of necrotizing fasciitis (NF) and related fatality in the coastal area. Necrotizing fasciitis caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and V. vulnificus have high mortality rates. The purpose of this prospective study was to clarify the clinical characteristics between death and survival NF patients, to investigate bacteriologic profile and mortality of NF patients, and to compare risk indicators of MRSA and V. vulnificus NF patients.MethodsThis prospective study was conducted in 184 consecutive NF patients over a period of three years in a tertiary coastal hospital. Differences in mortality, laboratory findings, microbiology and clinical outcomes were compared between the death and survival groups, and the V. vulnificus and MRSA subgroups.ResultsTwenty patients died, resulting in a mortality rate of 10.9%, and there were 108 patients with a monomicrobial infection (58.7%). The death group had a significantly higher incidence of shock at emergency room and bacteremia than did the survival group. Vibrio species (40 cases) and S. aureus (31 cases) were the two major pathogens. Significant differences with respect to hepatic dysfunction, shock, the event with seawater or seafood contact, bacteremia, C-reactive protein, mean platelet counts, and the Laboratory Risk Indicator for Necrotizing Fasciitis (LRINEC) score were observes between V. vulnificus and MRSA groups.ConclusionsNF patients with both hepatic dysfunction and diabetes mellitus, bacteremia and shock have significantly higher mortality. We should be aware of the increasing incidence of monomicrobial NF and higher mortality rates of Gram-negative pathogens in the warm coastal area. LRINEC score is not a suitable diagnostic indicator for V. vulnificus NF, which is more rapidly progressive and fulminant than MRSA NF. NF needed team works by early suspicion, immediate surgical intervention and aggressive care, which can successfully decrease mortality.
Highlights
Vibrio vulnificus has been reported as the leading causative pathogen of necrotizing fasciitis (NF) and related fatality in the coastal area
NF needed team works by early suspi‐ cion, immediate surgical intervention and aggressive care, which can successfully decrease mortality
NF is classified into four types—Polymicrobial infection with signs and symptoms of severe septic shock and multiple organ dysfunction was believed to be the first cause of NF, and followed by group A Streptococcus infection alone or combined with Staphylococcus aureus [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10]
Summary
Vibrio vulnificus has been reported as the leading causative pathogen of necrotizing fasciitis (NF) and related fatality in the coastal area. Necrotizing fasciitis caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and V. vulnificus have high mortality rates. The purpose of this prospective study was to clarify the clinical characteris‐ tics between death and survival NF patients, to investigate bacteriologic profile and mortality of NF patients, and to compare risk indicators of MRSA and V. vulnificus NF patients. Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is a life-threatening soft tissue infection with a high mortality rate of 25.3–73% [1,2,3]. The marine bacterial infection related NF, such as Vibrio species, Aeromonas or Klebsiella species, have been noted as type III, and the fungal infection have been classified as type IV [1,2,3,4,5,6,7, 15,16,17,18]
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