Necrotising fasciitis is an aggressive infection of the body’s deep tissues. But is necrotising fasciitis contagious? Can it be transferred from one person to the other? In this article we explore these questions in more detail, explaining how you get necrotising fasciitis.
Is Necrotizing fasciitis contagious?
Necrotizing fasciitis is not contagious. It cannot be transferred from one person to another. If you are around someone who has necrotizing fasciitis, you will not catch it from them.
However, it is possible to catch an infection that eventually leads to necrotising fasciitis. To understand how this happens, it is necessary to understand how necrotising fasciitis occurs.
How do you get necrotising fasciitis?
Necrotising fasciitis begins when certain types of bacteria get into the body’s deep tissues. Once there the bacteria multiply, releasing a poisonous chemical that damages the tissue.
The bacteria normally get into the body via an opening in the skin. This can be a cut, graze, insect bite, surgical wound or cannula site.
It is also possible for necrotising fasciitis to occur as a result of another infection, such as E. Coli or MRSA. Conditions like MRSA can cause skin infections; if the bacteria reach the body’s deep tissues, necrotising fasciitis will develop.
Therefore if you are around someone with a contagious infection such as MRSA, it is possible that you will catch MRSA too. If this infection travels to the deep tissues, you could get necrotising fasciitis.
Can I catch necrotising fasciitis?
In conclusion, necrotising fasciitis is not communicable. If you touch a patient with necrotising fasciitis you will not catch the condition. But you could catch another contagious infection that causes necrotising fasciitis.
If you do get necrotising fasciitis, you need to undergo immediate treatment. This should involve intravenous antibiotics and surgical debridement of the infected tissue. If medical practitioners fail to treat you properly, you will experience widespread tissue death. You may also face life-threatening complications, including sepsis and organ failure.
To avoid these complications, it is essential doctors diagnose your condition quickly and provide immediate treatment.
Failure to treat necrotising fasciitis.
If clinicians fail to diagnose and treat necrotising fasciitis in a reasonable amount of time, there may be grounds for a medical negligence compensation claim. To find out if you are able to pursue legal action for substandard necrotising fasciitis care, please get in touch with us today. We specialise in medical negligence claims and can advise you further.
Free, No Obligation Enquiry About Necrotising Fasciitis
Call us now on 0800 234 3300 (or from a mobile 01275 334030) or complete our Free Online Enquiry.
