ABSTRACT
Within 24 hours after a human bite trauma, a 34-year-old male patient became septic and ended up at an intensive care unit. The combination of a local damage of the skin or mucosa, aggressive micro-organisms, local host factors, and some bad luck resulted in necrotizing fasciitis for this patient. This is a very rapid progressive infection which can spread via fat tissue and the muscle fascia. The occurrence of extensive necrosis releases a lot of cytokines and acute-phase proteins, resulting in a systemic reaction. The consequential vasodilatation makes it necessary for the heart to pump harder in order to maintain the circular volume. The patient will soon become septic and hemodynamically unstable. This can also lead to multiple organ failure with potentially fatal consequences. Because necrotizing fasciitis can be caused by commensal bacteria, even young healthy patients are at risk for this invasive life threatening disease. Early recognition of the clinical manifestations can prevent a fatal outcome.
