A rare flesh-eating bug has seen three men suffering similar symptoms – leaving one dead.
The patients, aged 47, and 81, are believed to have contracted the disease in different ways.
However, they all suffered similar physical reactions including swollen eyelids, reports Need To Know.
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The first patient, aged 65 years old, was diagnosed with streptococcus pyogenes after his left eyelid began to swell.
He was taken to the emergency department following a referral with tension in the eye, coupled with vomiting and nausea.
The affected organ showed signs of hyperthermia and blood secretion without pus.
After a swab was taken, the patient was hospitalised for a course of antibiotics, before his temperature skyrocketed.
Overnight, he developed white lesions around the eye and was rushed into surgery.
Necrotic tissue was found in the eye as well as in his nose and neck.
Sadly, the patient developed a multi-drug-resistant bacteria and passed away within two weeks.
The second patient, aged 47, also presented with a swollen left eyelid after hitting his head the day before.
Luckily, after multiple surgical revisions, doctors were able to remove all necrotic tissue.
A week later, he was in the all-clear.
The third patient, an 81-year-old man, was reported to have had a sudden swelling of his left eyelid, coupled with discolouring.
The cause is unknown.
After all dead tissue was removed, the patient was able to walk away without any major disfigurement and good lid function.
Initial presentation of case 2 with marked swelling of the left upper eyelid and purple-colored discoloration (arrows) of the skin at the medial upper eyelid. (Jam Press/Science Direct)
The rare flesh-eating condition is known as periorbital necrotizing soft tissue infection (NSTI), and is caused by either polymicrobial infection (type 1) or streptococcus pyogenes and/or staphylococcus species (type 2).
The three cases were presented in a medical journal earlier this year.
“Based on the negative experience with our first case, we developed a more aggressive surgical plan for cases with periorbital NSTI,” reads an extract of the report by lead author Isabella D. Baur from the University Eye Clinic Augsburg in Germany.
“After early debridement, the patient is surgically reevaluated on a daily basis until surgery is deemed to have been unnecessary.
Final result three weeks after wound closure with a free skin graft. (Jam Press/Science Direct)
“:We follow this approach, as necrotic tissue is sometimes identified intraoperatively from a lack of resistance to manipulation rather than from its clinical aspect alone.
“At a later point, plastic surgery may be required when the infection is under control.”
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