Noma and noma neonatorum

Noma and noma neonatorum are rare gangrenous diseases that result in mutilating loss of tissue in the oronasal region. Noma usually occurs in patients between the ages of 2 and 5 years who are malnourished, have suffered a precedent illness, or are in some way immunodeficient, or all of the above. The gangrenous slough is thought to be caused by a mixed infection of oral bacterial pathogens. The disease may be fatal when it occurs in a severely debilitated patient. Noma neonatorum produces somewhat similar appearing lesions in the neonate. The infectious organism is usually Pseudomonas and the disease is generally accompanied by a life-threatening pseudomonal sepsis. Both diseases are rare in North America. Patients with noma and noma neonatorum were treated at the Children's Hospital and Medical Center, Seattle, WA. We present these cases and a literature review.