Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 20, 2026
08:51
Atomic Force Microscopy Combined with Infrared Spectroscopy as a Tool to Probe Single Bacterium Chemistry
Published on: September 15, 2020
Necrotizing fasciitis: is the bacterial spectrum changing?
Serafim Tsitsilonis1, Claudia Druschel, Florian Wichlas
1Center for Musculoskeletal Surgery, Charité - University Medicine Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany. serafeim.tsitsilonis@charite.de
Langenbeck'S Archives of Surgery
|July 27, 2012
Summary
Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is a severe infection. This study found monomicrobial infections and multiresistant bacteria are increasing. Early recognition and aggressive treatment are crucial for survival.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Critical Care Medicine
- Microbiology
Background:
- Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is a rare but life-threatening soft tissue infection.
- Prompt diagnosis and aggressive management are critical for patient outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the patient population with NF.
- To identify common causative bacteria.
- To compare characteristics of survivors versus nonsurvivors.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective case-control study.
- Inclusion of all NF patients treated at an academic level 1 trauma center from 2005 to 2010.
- Review of medical records for demographic, clinical, and microbiological data.
Main Results:
- The overall mortality rate was 20.8%.
- Monomicrobial infections predominated (54.2%), with Group A Streptococcus and MRSA as common pathogens.
- Nonsurvivors had more comorbidities, developed disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), and received antibiotic monotherapy.
Conclusions:
- A shift towards monomicrobial infections with multiresistant bacteria is suggested.
- Early identification of high-risk patients is essential.
- Aggressive surgical intervention and broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy are paramount for improving survival rates.
Related Concept Videos
01:25Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) presents a critical public health threat, arising from its capacity to resist β-lactam antibiotics due to acquisition of the mecA gene within the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec). This gene encodes penicillin-binding protein 2a (PBP2a), which impairs binding efficacy of methicillin and other β-lactams. MRSA has evolved into distinct clonal lineages impacting humans and animals alike, reinforcing its significance within the One...
01:25Mechanism of Antibiotic Resistance in MRSA
Antibiotic resistance in bacteria arises when microorganisms evolve the ability to withstand drugs designed to kill them or inhibit their growth, rendering once-effective treatments useless. This phenomenon, driven by genetic change and selection under antibiotic exposure, poses a profound threat to modern medicine. Mechanisms include drug-inactivating enzymes (e.g., β-lactamases), efflux pumps that eject antibiotics, mutations altering antibiotic targets, decreased drug uptake, and acquisition...
01:29Staphylococcal Skin Infections
Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive coccus that resides harmlessly on the skin and mucous membranes of healthy individuals. When the skin barrier is breached, it can shift from a commensal to an opportunistic pathogen. This transition is facilitated by surface adhesins, such as clumping factor B and S. aureus surface protein G (SasG), which bind to structural proteins, including loricrin and cytokeratin, in the damaged epidermis. Protein A, another key factor, binds the Fc region of...
01:31Defense Against Bacterial Pathogens
The human immune system is a complex network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to defend the body against bacterial infections. It consists of various immune cells, each playing a specific role in the defense mechanism.
Phagocytes
Phagocytes are the frontline soldiers of the immune system. They include neutrophils and macrophages. Neutrophils are the most abundant type of white blood cell and are quickly mobilized to the site of infection. Macrophages are larger cells that patrol...
Phagocytes
Phagocytes are the frontline soldiers of the immune system. They include neutrophils and macrophages. Neutrophils are the most abundant type of white blood cell and are quickly mobilized to the site of infection. Macrophages are larger cells that patrol...
01:28Gene Regulation in Microbial Communities: Quorum Sensing
Quorum sensing is a mechanism of bacterial communication that enables coordinated gene expression in response to changes in population density. This facilitates collective behaviors that enhance survival, resource acquisition, and ecological adaptation. This process relies on small signaling molecules called autoinducers that accumulate as bacterial populations grow. When a critical threshold concentration of autoinducers is reached, bacterial cells collectively modify gene expression,...
01:18Bacterial Gastroenteritis
Bacterial gastroenteritis, characterized by diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and vomiting, is often caused by ingestion of contaminated food or water and is frequently associated with pathogenic Escherichia coli strains. These microbes exploit two principal mechanisms to inflict disease.Shiga toxin–producing E. coli, also referred to as STEC—notably O157:H7—release Shiga toxins that target ribosomes, blocking protein synthesis. The B subunit of the toxin binds the host glycolipid receptor...