Question for any of our medical professionals

[so.cal.fan]

Is the flesh eating bacteria disease contagious?
Is there any website I can find out about this?

Thanks in advance to any medical experts or good internet detectives!

so.cal.fan :confused:

[JustRalph]

http://www.healthieryou.com/nnff.html

[chickenhead]

saw something on the news about weird goings on in socal, is that what it is?

Strep is a nasty bugger. No joke I almost died from a systemic strep and staff infection I caught in the Cook Islands. People dont think of strep as much beyond a strep throat, but apparently if you get a strain that your body is not able to fight (like my wierd tropical jungle strain) it can really mess you up.

[so.cal.fan]

I was reading about this on another forum and it caught my interest because they mentioned a young man who had DIED from this in just over a week, after skinning his leg playing baseball, picked it up in the dirt in El Monte.
Also people have caught it digging in their gardens!
It's really scary stuff.
Thanks for the link, Ralph, although it doesn't really ease our fears!
This is more frightening than Bird Flu.

[chickenhead]

for me I cut my leg when I was there, don't remember on what. It was just about impossible to keep the flies off the wound (billions of flies there), though I did my best to keep it covered.

When I got home I got a sore on my leg near the cut, it started to heal but was taking quite awhile...then I had two or three sores erupt on my hand. I knew that wasn't a good sign, something from near my foot was now in my hand, so scheduled an appointment for the following Monday. The next day my body basically started shutting down. Rushed to the ER, was on IV Antibiotics for two or three weeks.

Moral is if you get a skin sore that does not heal in the normal amount of time, go get it checked out ASAP. The doc said she thought the flies probably carried in some weird strep from the local livestock or people, and my body couldn't fight it off very well.

[so.cal.fan]

That is a horrific story, chickenhead!
Gosh, I'm glad you are still with us, friend!
Good warning, I'm sure going to pay attention.

[Tom]

Where is El Monte - California?

[so.cal.fan]

It's about 5 miles due south of here (Sierra Madre). Sierra Madre is located about 14 miles north east of downtown Los Angeles. We are up against the San Gabriel Mountains.
El Monte is a community of mostly Mexicans.......very high number of illegals live there, Tom.
I hope this isn't an illegal immigrant disease! :eek:

[46zilzal]

good link
http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/publicat/info/necro_e.html

This disease killed the Muppets creator Jim Henson.
I have seen three cases of it, but all were caught early.

[46zilzal]

I have LONG held the belief that the overuse of antibiotics was going to come back and bite us in the ass.

[PaceAdvantage]

I have LONG held the belief that the overuse of antibiotics was going to come back and bite us in the ass.

That's a fairly common concern among responsible physicians, is it not?

[46zilzal]

If questioned, yes. Many don't practice that way however since it takes time to review the culture and drug sensitivity BEFORE you know the BEST drug for the infection. Often, if it is a mixed infection, you have to use two medications.

[wonatthewire1]

Often, if it is a mixed infection, you have to use two medications.


Meaning that the infection could be either gram negative or gram positive.

My Dad got an infection after getting dental work done a couple of years ago...since the infection was on his heart valve (travelled through the bloodstream) he was treated with antibiotics for both gram negative and gram positive as they couldn't do a culture.