Fulminant necrotizing fasciitis with toxic shock syndrome and multiorgan failure caused by group A streptococcus (GAS): a case report
Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) commonly known as the "flesh eating disease" is a rare and threatening life disease which is often misdiagnosed on admission. Caused by group A streptococcus (GAS), NF can lead to streptococcal toxic shock syndrome with multiple organ failure and high mortality rate (30 % – 70 %) in spite of aggressive treatment. We present a case of a young woman who was admitted to hospital and primarily diagnosed as acute appendicitis on admission. After explorative laparotomy which showed no sign of acute abdominal illness, pale skin lesion proposing as cellulitis, on her right leg was noticed. In the next 6 hours she developed toxic shock with rapid progression of the soft tissue necrosis.