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Antibiotics no match for strain
By Times Wires
Published February 29, 2008
Q&A / MRSA What is MRSA? MRSA stands for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Staph bacteria is the most common cause of skin infections, but it can infect other organs. MRSA is the strain of staph that doesn't respond to methicillin and related antibiotics. Where did it come from? MRSA has been around for decades. Methicillin was developed in the late 1950s, and resistant staph was identified in 1961. But until recently, the biggest problem was in hospitals. In the past few years, health officials have seen more infections in people who have no links to hospitals. How dangerous is MRSA? Nearly 95,000 people got serious, invasive MRSA infections in 2005 and more than 18,000 of them died, a study reported. Most of them - 85 percent of the infected, and 92 percent of those who died - got MRSA in health care settings. So if I get MRSA, are my chances of dying 20 percent? No. Most MRSA infections are relatively minor skin infections that may not need any drug treatment. What can I do to prevent MRSA infection? Wash your hands with plain soap and water. Clean cuts and scrapes and keep them covered. Don't share personal items such as towels and razors. Keep away from other people's cuts and bandages. Use alcohol-based hand sanitizers. Get a flu shot. Why a flu shot? When the flu becomes deadly, it's often not the flu virus that kills. It's a bacterial infection - like MRSA - that takes advantage of the flu patient's weakened immune system. What about antibacterial soap? Such soaps may encourage drug resistance, so officials don't recommend them. What about hand sanitizers? Don't they do that, too? No. As long as they're at least 60 percent alcohol, they kill germs by drying them out. Sources: Roger Sanderson, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Florida Department of Health; infection control officials at local hospitals
[Last modified February 29, 2008, 01:11:50]
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by Rachel
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02/29/08 08:50 AM
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I think it would be a great idea to talk more about why anti-bacterial soaps are not good for us.
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by Joy
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02/29/08 05:27 AM
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I wonder if she had TSS and DIC which can be caused by an infection?
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