NSTI
Medical abbreviation · Infectious Disease
| Stands for | Necrotizing soft tissue infection |
|---|---|
| Categories | Medical |
NSTI stands for Necrotizing soft tissue infection, an infectious disease abbreviation.
Rapidly spreading infection that destroys skin, fat, fascia or muscle, including necrotizing fasciitis and Fournier gangrene. Pain out of proportion to visible findings is an early warning sign, and survival depends on emergency surgical debridement plus broad-spectrum antibiotics.
Example: Pain out of proportion, crepitus and bullae on thigh: suspected NSTI, emergency surgical exploration.
Usage notes
Type I infections are polymicrobial and common in people with diabetes; type II are usually caused by group A strep, the so-called "flesh-eating bacteria". Vibrio vulnificus causes severe cases after seawater exposure or raw oysters. Imaging should never delay surgery when suspicion is high. The LRINEC score uses routine labs to estimate risk.
Related abbreviations
More infectious disease abbreviations
- MIC – Minimum inhibitory concentration
- MRSA – Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
- MSM – Men who have sex with men
- MSSA – Methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus
- N95 – N95 filtering facepiece respirator
- NHSN – National Healthcare Safety Network
- NTM – Nontuberculous mycobacteria
- OI – Opportunistic infection
- OPAT – Outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy
- PAPR – Powered air-purifying respirator
- PCP – Pneumocystis pneumonia
- PEP – Post-exposure prophylaxis
See all 92 infectious disease abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.