OGDEN, Utah - Utah health officials now confirm that an Ogden women died from necrotizing fasciitis, commonly known as flesh-eating bacteria.
61 year old Carol Caudill died on February 24, 2008 in a Salt Lake County hospital after contracting the bacteria.
Caudill was a breast cancer survivor. Her husband Bob told ABC 4 News; “I want to get out more information to the public about what happened to my wife, but right now I just cannot talk about it.”
Necrotizing fasciitis kills hundreds of people a year in the United States and doctors don't know what causes this mild strep infection to turn into a flesh eating bacteria.
“It is a very devastating disease to the person who gets it,” said Dr. Susan Mottice. “But it is fortunate it is a very rare occurrence so it doesn’t happen to very many people.” Dr. Mottice is an epidemiologist with the Utah Department of Health. She said the state of Utah does not see many cases of flesh eating bacteria, but it can happen. “We estimate that we probably have 10 or less cases a year.”
Necrotizing fasciitis usually starts with the common strep A bacteria infection which usually results in only a sore throat or skin rash. But in some rare cases the bacteria becomes invasive and begins consuming the flesh around sores and open wounds. “We don’t know at this point why it happens in some people and not in others,” Mottice said.
The bacteria can attack deep into the skin and muscle and can spread quickly if left untreated. Early treatment with antibiotics slows or stops the bacteria but in many cases it requires surgery to remove the infected tissue. “If you have group A strep, if you have a skin would that has group A strep in it, or if you have strep throat make sure you don’t give it to anybody else.”
Health officials do not think the flesh eating bacteria can spread from person to person but said those in the high risk group, cancer patients, those on kidney dialysis and the elderly should avoid contact with any potential bacteria. “The fear factor about the ailment is not in proportion to the health risk,” Mottice said.
