TITLE:
Necrotizing Fasciitis of the Soft Tissues of the Right Foot without Microbiology and Imaging: A Case Followed at the General Reference Hospital of Boma in the Democratic Republic of Congo
AUTHORS:
Jean-Claude Kikwata Ifaka, Alexis Keya Sumbu, Dajo Muayi Lelo, Antoine Bivangu Ndele, Blanchard Batela Mayeka, Adelphie Lelo Vesa, Christophe Mambueni Thamba
KEYWORDS:
Necrotizing Fasciitis, Right Foot, Culture, Imaging Not Performed
JOURNAL NAME:
Case Reports in Clinical Medicine,
Vol.15 No.3,
March
20,
2026
ABSTRACT: Necrotizing fasciitis is a life-threatening medical and surgical emergency. It is a bacterial complication caused by Streptococcus pyogenes or a mixture of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, leading to necrosis of the subcutaneous tissue, which can spread along the fascia and adipose tissue at a rate of 2 to 3 cm/hour. In this paper, we report the case of a 54-year-old patient with no risk factors who presented with a vesicle at the base of the fourth toe of his right foot, which developed into a blister and phlyctenule containing purulent fluid, accompanied by fever, low blood pressure, pain, local heat, and edema in the right foot. The patient took systemic antibiotics and applied topical antibiotics and antiseptics. No bacteriological tests or imaging studies were performed. Necrotizing fasciitis is a soft tissue infection leading to necrosis of the fascia, the early diagnosis of which remains difficult and is based on a combination of clinical and paraclinical findings.