Showing posts with label Superbug Articles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Superbug Articles. Show all posts
Monday, January 10, 2011
Are We Creating a Deadly Super-bug?
6:01 AM | 
Posted by
Modern Green Clean |
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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What Are Superbugs?
What is this Super Bug we always hear about?
Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)
What you need to know about MRSA:
What is MRSA?
Staphylococcus aureus are bacteria that commonly live on the skin, or in the noses of healthy people.
MRSA is the term for Staphylococcus aureus bacteria that have become resistant to semi-synthetic penicillins such as cloxacillin and methicillin. It can also acquire resistance to other classes of antibiotics.
MRSA infections can be difficult to treat and drugs commonly used for treatment of other strains of Staphylococcus aureus are not always effective.
Traditionally, MRSA is seen in people who are taking antibiotics and those individuals who are receiving medical care. More recently, MRSA has been found in people who have no contact with the health care system. This is referred to as community associated MRSA (CA MRSA).
In the community, MRSA most commonly causes skin and soft tissue infections (e.g., boils or abscesses on arms, legs or elsewhere). These are treatable with antibiotics. Rarely, MRSA can cause severe invasive infections such as pneumonia and bloodstream infections. These severe infections require urgent medical treatment.
How is MRSA spread?
MRSA bacteria are spread through direct person-to-person contact with a colonized or infected person. It can be passed from hands that are not clean to any person, object or surface they touch. When hands are washed thoroughly or rubbed with alcohol-based hand products, MRSA will likely be removed.
However, if the immediate environment is not clean, hands can very quickly become soiled again. Frequent hand cleaning is necessary to either prevent spreading MRSA to others, or to prevent picking it up from others.
There are 5 C’s that describe risk factors for CA-MRSA infections:
- crowded conditions
- close contact
- lack of cleanliness
- sharing common personal items, e.g. towels, and
- having compromised or broken skin.
What does colonization and infection mean?
Colonization: Colonization refers to the presence and multiplication of a microorganism without tissue invasion or damage. MRSA can colonize the skin and nose of healthy people.
Infection: Infection refers to the entry and multiplication of a microorganism in an individual causing tissue or cellular damage and signs and symptoms of infection.
What can I do to decrease the spread of MRSA?
1. Clean hands regularly with soap and water or alcohol based hand gel. If hands are visibly soiled, soap and water works best. Antibacterial soaps are NOT recommended.
2. Always clean hands immediately after touching skin or any item that has come in direct contact with a draining wound.
3. Keep wounds that are draining covered with clean, dry bandages.
4. If you are not able to keep your wound covered with a clean, dry bandage at all times, do not participate in activities where you have skin-to-skin contact with other persons (such as athletic activities) until your wound is healed.
5. Maintain good general hygiene with regular showering.
6. Do not share personal items that may become contaminated with wound drainage, such as towels, clothing, bedding, bar soap, razors, and athletic equipment that touches the skin.
7. Wash clothing using regular laundry soap in the regular wash cycle of a household washing machine.
8. Clean shared items e.g., sports equipment or environmental surfaces with over- the-counter detergent/disinfectant that are suitable for the type of surface being cleaned.
9. If you have signs of an infection, seek appropriate medical care promptly.
HAND WASHING IS THE BEST WAY TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF MRSA!
Follow these simple instructions when washing your hands with plain soap and water:
1. Wet with warm water.
2. Apply soap and scrub for 15 seconds – all surfaces including front and back of hands, between fingers, around nails (especially cuticles), thumbs and wrists.
3. Rinse well.
4. Dry with a paper towel.
5. Use towel to turn off taps.
Follow these simple instructions when using a waterless hand sanitizer:
1. Apply a measured pump (or nickel size) of the product to your open palm.
2. Rub into hands covering all surfaces including front and back or hands, between fingers, around nails (especially cuticles), thumbs and wrists.
3. Rub until dry (approximately 15 seconds).
For more information, visit www.dobugsneeddrugs.org
Thank you for helping to prevent the spread of MRSA!
For Administrators of Schools
Emphasis must be placed on the consistent application of hygienic measures within schools to reduce the risk of spreading MRSA.
Recommendations:
- Educate providers, teachers, children and families on general hygiene practices (e.g., hand hygiene, respiratory etiquette and staying home if ill).
- Ensure availability of products to allow hand hygiene to be performed. This includes access to liquid soap in pump dispensers, running water and paper towel to dry hands. Alcohol based waterless hand sanitizers can be used as an alternative as long as hands are not visibly soiled.
- Structure activities to include opportunities for hand hygiene to be practiced (before eating, after outdoor play and after using the washroom).
- In situations in which open lesions cannot be kept covered, consider recommending that a child stays at home from the school setting until the wound has healed or drainage can be contained.
- Ensure that frequently touched surfaces (e.g., counters, desks and toys) are cleaned at least once a day with a disinfectant solution.
- Items soiled with body fluids should be cleaned and disinfected as soon as possible and before use by another child.
Thank you for helping to prevent the spread of MRSA!
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[1] Barton M, Hawkes M, Moore D, Conly J, Nicolle L, Allen U, Boyd N, Embree J, Van Horne L, Le Saux N, Richardson S, Moore A, Tran D, Waters V, Vearncombe M, Katz K, Weese JS, Embil J, Ofner-Agostina M, Ford-Jones EL and The Writing Group of the Expert Panel of Canadian Infectious Disease, Infection Prevention and Control and Public Health Specialists. (2006). Guidelines for the Prevention and Management of Community Associated Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus: A Perspective for Canadian Health Care Practitioners. Retrieved January 24, 2007 http://www.pulsus.com/infdis/17_SC/Pdf/mrsa_ed.pdf
Modern Green Clean - Your source for Norwex online! http://www.ModernGreenClean.com
What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger
By Christina Jones
MRSA is an acronym for Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus. But what does this mean?When you break it down, you can see. Starting from the second half of the name, Staphylococcus aureus (or S. aureus) is the scientific name (Genus, species) for a spherical shaped bacteria that is prevalent everywhere, on everyone's body. There is an extremely good article at the Textbook of Bacteriology website that explains the biological characteristics of the bacteria.
Methicillin is "a semi synthetic penicillin-related antibiotic, also known as Staphcillin, that once was effective against staphylococci (staph) resistant to penicillin because they produce the enzyme penicillinase (quoted from MedicineNet.com)."
Resistant means "Having the capacity to withstand: immune, impervious, insusceptible, proof, resistive, unsusceptible (quoted from Answers.com)." MedicineNet.com goes on to explain Methicillin Resistance: "Rarely used now, Methicillin has been largely superseded by Vancomycin.
Over the past 50 years, staph bacteria have become resistant to various antibiotics, including the commonly used penicillin-related antibiotics, including Methicillin. These resistant bacteria are called Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA."
Ok, so what does all of this technical terminology really mean?
Antibiotic resistance of any sort boils down to the old saying, "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." I had it explained to me by my Aunt Sharon, who has been an RN nearly her whole life, when my husband was sick.
When you clean your house, and you use antibacterial products, Lysol, for instance, there is inevitably some bacteria left behind.
For instance, if you are wiping down your kitchen, it is impossible to keep every single bacteria on your dishcloth, and off of your countertop. When you are finished, and the kitchen looks clean, you have left behind some bacteria, in the little swipe of water that is left on the countertop, or the side of the cabinet that you touched the dishcloth with as you were taking the cloth back to the sink, or the bacteria that you just pushed to the back of the counter, but did not remove.
Of that bacteria, some are bound to have survived the Lysol. Maybe you missed a spot, or maybe the bacteria were just lightly touched by the Lysol. This bacteria is now microscopically laughing at you, saying "Ha ha! You missed me!" This bacteria is now a little tougher, because it survived Lysol, and maybe the next night, when you clean your kitchen again, the same thing happens, except maybe you got him good with the Lysol, and he still survived it. This bacteria can now be considered Lysol-resistant.
Take that example and think about it. Think about washing your hands and body, using antibacterial soap. When you wash your hands after using the bathroom, you grab a quick squirt of antibacterial soap, haphazardly rub it on your hands, foam it up a little, rinse it off, and then you are finished.
Most of us who have been through and are familiar with MRSA use a lot better technique than this now, but the rest of the world pretty much does it just like that.
Can you imagine what happens to the bacteria on your hands now? You are left with bacteria that is resistant to your antibacterial soap. Oops. Then you go outside, see your neighbor, and shake hands with him. Oops again, now your neighbor has been introduced to your antibacterial soap-resistant bacteria. My aunt told me that she has never used Lysol, or antibacterial soap in her house. We all cringe at the thought of that now, including me, but there is something very important in there somewhere.
Back when our parents were children, somehow they survived without antibacterial soaps. Our world is full of antibacterial-everything now. Plastic toys are made with antibacterials, and even the grocery stores now have antibacterial wipes when you walk in to get a shopping cart so you can wipe down any bacteria on them.
This sounds like a great preventative idea, but can you see where the problems lie? I don't know where we go from here, really. When you look at this situation, it seems very bleak, it is a never-ending circle, a catch-22.
So this brings us to the bacteria inside of our bodies.
We have all heard over and over, so much that we ourselves have become resistant to the advice: Take all of your antibiotics, until the bottle is gone, even if you are feeling better. I know I am guilty of not taking all of my antibiotics in the past. Are you? Probably. I don't do it anymore though.
Using the kitchen example above, you can see what an incomplete course of antibiotics do to the bacteria in your body. What doesn't kill them, makes them stronger.
Another huge problem in creating antibiotic resistance is with people going to the doctor with a virus, and insisting upon a round of antibiotics. Antibiotics are not going to kill a virus. They never have, and they never will.
A virus is a completely different organism than a bacterium. Antibiotics kill bacteria, not viris. A virus can make you very sick, but it must run its course, and then it will leave. Occasionally a virus can cause a secondary bacterial infection, such as an ear infection or a sinus infection, and it is at that point, when your doctor has determined that you have a bacterial infection, that antibiotics are required.
I know that when you are sick, or your children are sick, that you have the need to do what you can do to help make yourself or your children better. But please, listen to your doctor, and do not insist that they give you antibiotics. Trust your doctors advice, for the health and well-being of your whole community.
And doctors, please, do not let your patients bully you into giving them an antibiotic when you know they do not have a bacterial infection. This is wrong, and only you can stop this from happening.
Christina Jones maintains the web sites and community at http://www.mrsaresources.com/ and http://www.superbugwiki.com/ for education and support of MRSA (Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus) patients and provides resources to the community to raise awareness.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Christina_Jones
Modern Green Clean - Your source for Norwex online! http://www.ModernGreenClean.com
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