Necrotizing soft-tissue infections (NSTIs) are severe and
rapidly progressive infectious conditions, which depending
on the clinical form can involve subcutaneous tissues, fascias,
and/or muscles.1 Management of NSTIs relies on rapid
surgical debridement and broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy.2
Precocity of diagnosis is one of the main prognosis
factors.3 However, the early stages of the disease are often
misdiagnosed due to the absence of specific clinical features.
In addition, several other factors have been shown to
influence mortality, including underlying condition,
advanced age, or bacterial virulence, such as invasive group
A Streptococcus.
4 The objectives of this study are to
describe the epidemiology, clinical presentation, and
microbiological characteristics of this condition in New
Caledonia and to evaluate the determinants of mortality
associated with this surgical emergency.