Clinical Microbiological Profile and Outcome of Patients with Necrotizing Soft-Tissue Infections

INTRODUCTION: The spectrum of clinical and microbiological profiles of necrotizing soft-tissue infection (NSTI) can have varied presentations based on age, gender, occupation, and geographic location of the patient. Knowledge of the diverse clinical manifestations, microbiological profile, and overall outcome of NSTI in these subsets of patients may provide further insight about the etiopathogenesis of this dreaded condition. METHODOLOGY: This hospital-based observational cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2023 to December 2023. Patient demographics profile included Age, Sex, Occupation, Socioeconomic status, Comorbidity status, and addictions. For patients undergoing surgical intervention, the type of surgery - whether debridement, fasciotomy, or amputation - was documented, and tissue obtained during surgery was sent for culture and histopathology. Outcome variables, including the length of hospital stay, length of intensive care unit stay, and in-hospital mortality, were recorded. RESULTS: A total of 62 patients were enrolled for the study after meeting the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The largest occupational groups were farmers (22.6%). Diabetes Mellitus (59.7%) and tobacco chewing (56.5%) were reported by over half of the patients. Edema (91.9%), erythema (90.3%), and pain (83.9%) emerged as the commonest clinical presentation. The vast majority of infections (80.6%) were monomicrobial. Debridement was the most common surgical intervention performed in 90.3% of cases. DISCUSSION: Agriculture-related occupations, poor socioeconomic status, and comorbidities such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and tobacco use have been identified as important risk factors for NSTI in our study population. CONCLUSION: Given the regional prevalence of NSTI and its association with specific occupational and socioeconomic factors, public health initiatives should focus on raising awareness among at-risk populations.