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Monday, January 10, 2011

Are We Creating a Deadly Super-bug?

Antibiotic overuse, disinfectants, excessive cleanliness & more
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In an ironic twist to humanity’s plagues of the past, could it be that we now stand the chance of facing a worldwide pandemic because we are too clean
The overuse of antibiotics-- combined with the widely spread use of disinfectants-- could be causing microscopic mutations with potentially catastrophic consequences, including the creation of deadly ‘super-bugs’.
Products such as bug-resistant toys, steering wheels, and toothbrushes are also depriving the body of its ability to develop the necessary immune responses that should naturally protect us when facing a potential bacterial infection.
The widespread use of antibiotics in our farm animals has also contributed to the problem, as a large portion of our food supply is tainted with remnants of antibiotics as well.
Effects of Antibiotic Overuse
  • Destruction of beneficial intestinal flora
  • Allergic reactions and the development of new allergies
  • Development of resistant microorganisms
  • Immune suppression
  • Candida overgrowth
  • Nutrient loss
  • Treating effects not causes
In addition, the chemical triclosan found in any anti-bacterial hand sanitizer, dish washing liquid or hand wash (and present in almost every household disinfecting product) has sparked a rapid mutation of these pathogens-- creating potentially deadly super-bugs.
This increase of drug-resistant bugs worldwide-- everywhere from hospitals to farms-- has been linked to a rise in antibiotic prescriptions in numerous studies.
Infectious diseases are responsible for the death of 13 million people each year, making them the world's leading killer. These new outbreaks caused by antibiotic-resistant super-bugs are making doctors and public health officials very nervous.
The Center for Disease Control has estimated that one third of the 150 million outpatient prescriptions for antibiotics written each year in the U.S. are unnecessary.
As a result of this abuse, many strains of bacteria have mutated and become resistant to conventional antibiotics, as well as to stronger hospital antibiotics.
Dr. James Hughes, director of the National Center for Infectious Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said, “The microbes are challenging us in ways we wouldn't have imagined 10 years ago-- and for which we're not prepared."
The New England Journal of Medicine even reported a case of a man whose infection would not be treated by even most powerful antibiotic available—and whose germs had to be eradicated after his death using a sophisticated combination-drug therapy.
Some of the super-bugs (e.g. pseudomonas, Staphylococcus) encountered in hospitals worldwide have forced some institutions to close down due to high mortality rates caused by the antibiotic-resistant bugs. There have even been reported instances where hospitals were demolished because they could not eliminate the organisms.
Perhaps even more disturbing is the increasing rate of hospital-acquired infections, which is currently at 10%. Vulnerable populations such as newborns, geriatrics, and immuno-compromised patients undergoing treatments for cancer, HIV, and other illnesses are at an even greater risk.
Another clear reason to worry is the decline of new antibiotics approved by the FDA, as well as in the decreased number of companies in the process of developing new ones. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, in the mid-1980s, 16 antibiotics were approved over a five-year span. That number has dropped to five in the last five years, most likely contributed to the fact that medications for conditions such as depressioncholesterol are far more profitable. and
Legislators have tried with little success to encourage the development of new antibiotics. Last September, President Bush signed the FDA reauthorization bill, which featured financial incentives for manufacturers.
In the meantime, there is much we can do to help strengthen the body’s immune system naturally. Studies have shown that bacteria have a hard time populating and reproducing in a healthy digestive system.
Since most of our immune health is tied to our digestive track, it is essential to have proper amounts of digestive flora. These beneficial strains of bacteria ward off the bugs that cause bacterial infections. A sluggish metabolism will hardly promote a healthy intestinal environment.

Other Ways to Avoid Viruses & Getting Sick
One of the best protections against the spread of dangerous germs is also one of the simplest. Whether you are at home or in the hospital, washing hands thoroughly and often is the best way to stay healthy! Wash your hands throughout the day with warm soapy water for at least 20 seconds.

Other helpful tips include:
  • To avoid cross contamination, raw meat should be kept separate from ready-to-eat foods
  • Wash your hands and all utensils that have been exposed to raw meat with hot, soapy water
  • Drink only pasteurized milk or juice
  • Food should be cooked or cooled down as quickly as possible
  • Beef should preferably be cooked well-done
  • Pork and poultry should be completely cooked
  • Keep track of expiration dates, especially for meats, and try to only use the freshest produce you can find
  • The use of condoms during sexual intercourse reduces the likelihood of spreading sexually transmitted diseases caused by bacteria such as Chlamydia trachomatis and Gonorrhea
Also…
Bacterial infections are diagnosed via lab tests - don’t assume because you have a cough or runny nose that you have a bacterial infection.
If you have an infection and are prescribed antibiotics make sure to follow directions and complete the full treatment- don’t auto-medicate yourself.
Antibiotics do not distinguish between the good and bad bacteria they kill. Make sure to replenish your intestinal flora with beneficial probiotics found in yogurt, cultured milk, and a number of fortified products.

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