Necrotizing Fasciitis as a Complication of Chickenpox

Abstract

Necrotizing fasciitis is a rapid, potentially fatal soft tissue infection. Chickenpox is a common childhood illness not usually associated with severe complications. We present the case of an 8-year-old girl with necrotizing fasciitis of the upper back arising from superinfection of varicella skin lesions. Necrotizing fasciitis may have devastating sequelae, including septic shock, which mandate vigorous fluid resuscitation, appropriate antimicrobial therapy, and early aggressive surgical debridement.