LITTLE ROCK — In the last few weeks, every news station around the country has been reporting on the "superbug" MRSA (methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus). Although typically presented as a basic skin infection, MRSA is a lethal bacteria resistant to virtually all antibiotics. Infections with staphylococcus aureus are not a new problem; it has been around for decades. Initially, it was highly sensitive to penicillin.
But, over time, it mutated - penicillin no longer worked, so doctors moved on to second-generation antibiotics. It continued to mutate and today requires intravenous therapy with powerful antibiotics to bring the infection under control. However, there is concern that even this aggressive therapy will ultimately fail.
Until recently, MRSA was primarily acquired in a hospital. The widespread use of antibiotics led to a higher prevalence of "hospital-acquired infections," many of which are very difficult to treat. MRSA tends to infect the frailest and most ill patients, initially starting as a skin infection but, on occasion, invading the bloodstream, causing a life-threatening illness. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has reported that MRSA causes 94,000 serious infections and 19,000 deaths annually, far more than previously thought.
It's estimated that 30 percent of Americans have the staphylococcus (staph) bug residing harmlessly in the nose or on the skin. In certain circumstances, a staph infection can cause pimples or boils on the skin.The infection is almost always localized, beginning as a red spot that eventually becomes filled with pus. Once the pus is released, spontaneous healing occurs. However, the use of antibiotics in these circumstances has led to the development of community-acquired MRSA - the first detected outside a hospital setting. Communityacquired MRSA is typically contained to skin infections. But the prevalence is clearly growing. The CDC recently stated that there were more than 12 million outpatient visits for MRSA skin infections annually. On occasion, communityacquired MRSA can enter thebloodstream, leading to a serious and fatal infection.
Infection by hospital- or community-acquired MRSA is caused by direct skin-to-skin contact with the bacterium. The CDC emphasizes the 5 C's as causes for MRSA infections: Crowding, frequent skin-to-skin contact, compromised skin (i.e., cuts or abrasions), contaminated items (such as razors and towels) and surfaces, and lack of cleanliness. Outbreaks of MRSA have been reported in schools, dormitories, prisons, daycare facilities and health clubs. It is particularly common in athletes. MRSA thrives in moist and warm environments such as gyms and locker rooms and is more common in the South, where humidity is high.
In the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers from the CDC recently reported that MRSA is reaching epidemic proportions, leading to more American deaths per year than AIDS. The greatest concern is that the separation of the hospital and community-acquired infections is becoming blurred, as more and more patients arebeing hospitalized with the community-based strain of MRSA. Ultimately, the vast majority of MRSA deaths still occur in the very old, the very frail and in those with severe declines in their immune systems. No one understands why the occasional younger person develops a fatal illness.
Fortunately, MRSA is readily preventable by compulsive attention to hygiene and cleanliness.
Never share a towel or a razor.
Keep open wounds clean and covered, particularly if they are obviously infected and draining pus.
Never touch a Band-Aid or bandage from another person.
Wash your hands frequently with soap or an alcohol-based sanitizer.
Keep surfaces clean using detergents proved to kill all staph organisms.
When buying cleaning products, read the label carefully.
Be sure to use the detergent appropriately and make sure it is effective against staph organisms.
Be wary about visiting someone in the hospital if you have a wound that may be infected.
Compulsively wash your hands before coming in contact with any ill person.
Never has the saying been more true that "cleanliness is next to godliness." More information is available at: www.drdavidhealth.com
High Profile, Pages 57, 60 on 10/28/2007