‘Flesh-Eating’ Infections of the Vulva Are on the Rise, Doctors Warn

A rare but horrific kind of infection might be on the rise. Gynecologists in the UK have begun to see an alarming increase in people with necrotizing fasciitis of the vulva, a.k.a. the “flesh-eating” disease. Doctors at the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust detailed three such cases in a paper published this month in BMJ Case Reports. All three women were hospitalized, and one died as a result. These cases are part of a growing trend in the UK, the doctors say, and infections that can cause necrotizing fasciitis are increasing in the U.S. as well. Necrotizing fasciitis is a serious type of bacterial infection that destroys the soft tissues underneath our skin (particularly fascia, hence the name). While the appearance of this infection might resemble freshly-chewed flesh, the bacteria aren’t actually eating it away. Once this destruction starts, it can rapidly spread and trigger other life-threatening complications like sepsis. People can die from necrotizing fasciitis in as ... Read full article.