I have a feeling this problem of superbugs, infections that are resistant to antibiotics, is going to become the next big "plague", more lethal than AIDS/HIV was originally thought.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/...ria-spread/13322879/

I first started wondering about that when I had a prostate biopsy, developed a 103 temperature later that night, and spent the next eight days in the hospital while they tried to find a solution for an E. coli infection. The specialist called-in asked me what antibiotics I had been prescribed prior to the procedure, and was upset that the medication prescribed was supposedly known to be ineffective six months earlier after my E. coli had mutated around it. They ran tests on eight antibiotics known to be effective against E. coli, and only three indicated they were still capable of combating it.

Today my daughter is having surgery on her elbow for a recurrent MRSA infection initiated this time by a bug bite.

Makes you wonder whether we're going to be living one of those Sci-Fi movies in a few years where the bacteria seem to be winning.

Kensco, to put all this into perspective, according to infection control experts about 120,000 Americans die from nosocomial (hospital acquired) infections every year. Most of those are from drug resistant organisms. The CDC estimates the number is about 20,000 less. In comparison, Aids deaths account for about 15,500 each year.

CRE is a major concern because it is a genetic code than has been found in several other common organisms found in the hospital setting. It basically deactivates all of the available antibiotics used to fight drug resistant organisms.

MRSA was created in our hospitals and became more pervasive outside the hospital about 15 years ago. Heath care workers are largely to blame for carrying it into the public domain. MRSA can survive on a dry surface for three weeks or more making it a very durable pathogen. In some cities, 10% of the population is carrying MRSA in their nasal cavities. On average about 3% of Americans are carrying the strain. So when they have a surgical procedure or even a minor cut, cross contamination is possible.

The source for all these problems is the sad state of our hospitals. Most all environmental services including general disinfection is outsourced to third parties. Those employees stay on the job on average for 18 months. So at any given time, the folks who are responsible for disinfecting beds and equipment have very little experience and quickly develop poor habits.

Personally, I would avoid any surgery or procedure in an American hospital and would choose outpatient facilities and clinics as a safer choice. And you may want to request a nasal swab to make sure your daughter is not a carrier. You see a lot of carriers around cities with lots of hospitals. Hope they get on top of her infection.

It's funny that everyone is all a flutter about Ebola when our hospitals are killing far more Americans than any recent pandemic.

quote:

Originally posted by Kensco:
I have a feeling this problem of superbugs, infections that are resistant to antibiotics, is going to become the next big "plague", more lethal than AIDS/HIV was originally thought.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/...ria-spread/13322879/

I first started wondering about that when I had a prostate biopsy, developed a 103 temperature later that night, and spent the next eight days in the hospital while they tried to find a solution for an E. coli infection. The specialist called-in asked me what antibiotics I had been prescribed prior to the procedure, and was upset that the medication prescribed was supposedly known to be ineffective six months earlier after my E. coli had mutated around it. They ran tests on eight antibiotics known to be effective against E. coli, and only three indicated they were still capable of combating it.

Today my daughter is having surgery on her elbow for a recurrent MRSA infection initiated this time by a bug bite.

Makes you wonder whether we're going to be living one of those Sci-Fi movies in a few years where the bacteria seem to be winning.

It will come out of India or China. Both these societies are way way way over medicated. You can buy nearly any medication without prescriptions. There is also massive consumption of antibiotics.

This is a real risk. But a tough one to explain in a social media world till the sh*t hits the fan.

Mike

With so many nervous about anti-biotics ,where it's really needed in good doses they often don't give enough so that the bacteria is there forever.
.My attempts to get a 28 day course for LYME has not happened yet ! I'm still trying to get it ,an uphill fight !