iEM - By Helena Halasz - December 6, 2021
“Here are some important considerations:
- patient need not have comorbidities to develop an NSTI
- fever may be absent; this could be due in part to use of over-the-counter NSAIDs
- although classically associated with a break in the skin, bacteria can travel hematogenously from other sites (like Streptococcal pharyngitis)
- in fact, patient may not have cutaneous manifestations superficially
- infection can be acute (developing over hours) but can also be indolent (like in DM foot ulcers)
- pain out of proportion in what appears to be a simple cellulitis should raise warning bells”