Mmmm flesh-eating bacteria.... or omigosh! Obtundation!

In honor of a dermatology appointment tomorrow that I've been awaiting for nearly a month (go go gadget managed care!). Today's disturbing link of the week involves the skin. It also involves extra gross linked images to make up for the several week lapse of this ongoing series. You have been warned. Necrotizing Fasciitis is commonly known as "the flesh-eating" bacteria Good 'ol Merck describes symptoms of the infected site as "usually very painful, and the overlying skin is red, hot, and swollen. With progression, violaceous* discoloration, bullae**, crepitus***, and dermal gangrene may develop. Fever is nearly always present and is typically accompanied by systemic toxicity, including tachycardia***** and altered mental status ranging from confusion to obtundation******. Evidence of intravascular volume depletion, including hypotension, is frequent." Two people have been infected one of whom has died of it in New Brunswick, Canada.... click here or here for utter grossness..

* violaceous: resembling violets in color; bluish purple
** bullae: multiple bulla (a bleb; a vesicle, or an elevation of the cuticle, containing a transparent watery fluid)
*** creptitus: grinding noise or sensation within a joint
**** tachycardia: abnormally rapid heartbeat
***** obtundation:  A dulled or reduced level of alertness or consciousness