Rare case

Flesh-eating-bacteria infections are rare, but double flesh-eating-bacteria infections are even less common.

The case of a man who developed two simultaneous infections of necrotizing fasciitis, as the condition is properly called, illustrates how sneaky these devastating infections can be, according to the report of his case. An infection in two areas of the body only complicates an already-complicated diagnosis, surgeons wrote in the report, published online Sept. 21 in the Journal of Emergency Medicine.

"It's difficult to diagnose necrotizing fasciitis, because in the early stages, the signs and symptoms tend to be very wide, very general, very easily confused with minor diseases and minor conditions," said study researcher Dr. Ilaria Tocco Tussardi of the Institute of Plastic Surgery at University Hospital of Padova in Italy.