Necrotizing Fasciitis in Three University Hospitals in Korea: A Change in Causative Microorganisms and Risk Factors of Mortality During the Last Decade

Abstract

Background: Necrotizing fasciitis is a life-threatening infectious disease with rapidly progressive involvement of the affected site. Because of the high mortality rate of this disease, early diagnosis, surgical exploration, and administration of appropriate antibioticsare necessary. The present study aimed to further review the changes in the clinical and microbiological characteristics of necrotizingfasciitis using patients’ medical records from consecutive databases of 3 hospitals in Korea. Materials and Methods: In this study, we retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients with necrotizing fasciitis who wereclinically diagnosed between May 2001 and February 2012 in 3 university hospitals in Korea. In total, the data of 83 patients wereanalyzed, including those of 20 patients from our previous study in 2006. An organism found in a blood culture or surgical specimenwas regarded as a causative organism. Results: Of the 83 patients, 68(81.9%) had community-acquired infections. Ninety microorganism species were indentifed byculture. Streptococcus was the most commonly identified pathogen. Non-fermentative gram-negative bacteria and Candida specieshave recently emerged, especially in immunocompromised hosts. Conclusions: Gram-positive organisms are still the most common pathogens of necrotizing fasciitis. However in our study, variousgram-negative bacteria with different levels of susceptibility to antibiotics, as well as Candida species, were responsible forthe necrotizing fasciitis. Initial empirical antimicrobial agents for necrotizing fasciitis should be considered depending on theindividual patient’s condition.