Necrotising fasciitis in AIDS. Torso of a female AIDS patient showing extensive tissue loss due to necrotising fasciitis, a bacterial infection of connective tissue. This spread from an initial ulcer on the vulva. AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) is a contagious disease caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). It causes impairment of the immune system, which causes otherwise harmless infections to become serious and life-threatening. This patient had to have extensive wound debridement (removal of dead tissue). She is from Africa, where lack of access to drugs and information makes AIDS a major public health problem.