Staph Skin Infections on Rise in U.S.

[Omaha Steve]

Full story: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20060817/D8JI80S01.html

Staph Skin Infections on Rise in U.S.
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Aug 17, 10:42 AM (ET)

By MARILYNN MARCHIONE

A once-rare drug-resistant germ now appears to cause more than half of all skin infections treated in U.S. emergency rooms, say researchers who documented the superbug's startling spread in the general population.

Many victims mistakenly thought they just had spider bites that wouldn't heal, not drug-resistant staph bacteria. Only a decade ago, these germs were hardly ever seen outside of hospitals and nursing homes.

Doctors also were caught off-guard - most of them unwittingly prescribed medicines that do not work against the bacteria.

"It is time for physicians to realize just how prevalent this is," said Dr. Gregory Moran of Olive View-UCLA Medical Center, who led the study.

[Avalux]

1. It's MRSA, Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus

And yes, once only seen as a hospital-acquired infection, it has emerged in the community and the number of cases has skyrocketed. Bad stuff.

[sui generis]

4. kickboxing - bagwork day

we use a sand-filled bag, and even with wraps, gloves and everything else I have raw meat guido knuckles (and hands and elbows, shins, and knees at least once a week, not to mention the occasional effed up toe or finger.

But everything gets washed within the hour and I soak all the booboos in hand sanitizer if at the gym, or if gone home I use straight iso alcohol. Makes me scream like a girl, if that girl was the dainty love child of a sailor and a trucker. (:P)

The pro boxer we train with though - now he was doing some shin "conditioning" exercise (I'm thinking, how fast can you give yourself bone cancer) basically cracking his shin up against a padboard to thicken the skin and fascia, and one of the abrasions infected. They had to aggressively debride three times in about as many days and he was in the hospital for over two weeks, and weak as a kitten when he got out, with a hole all the way into the gastroc and soleus with a tissue graft over the bone.

And he was wicked healthy in competition shape when it happened (still is), but that cootie ain't nothin' you want to play around with.

[Avalux]

6. Yep - that's what happens.

And with bone involvement; he may have a recurrence. I wouldn't be surprised if he requires further treatment with IV antibiotics. Doesn't matter how healthy one is; MRSA doesn't descriminate. Thanks for sharing - and glad to hear you cleanse your scrapes thoroughly.

[Name removed]

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[ryanus]

2. Because of anti-biotics overuse?

I have heard a lot about the possibility of superbugs arising because of overusing anti-biotics. Maybe this is an example.

[Bobbieo]

3. Is this staph infection related to "Mercers"?

[Avalux]

5. "Mercers"?

Do you mean "mersa" instead, which is how we say MRSA. Yes, that's what it is.

[Avalux]

7. It's partly abuse, misuse of antibiotics -

and the natural evolution of bacteria. We have to keep in mind those little one-celled organisms are trying to survive just as we are, and adapt to their environment. Eventually they figure out ways around antibiotics we've been using for years. On top of that, physicians do prescribe antibiotics when they aren't needed, often for viral illnesses, and that makes them lose their effectiveness, especially the penicillins. People often don't finish a full course of therapy and stop taking it when they feel better, which is bad.

[Bobbieo]

8. I found on Google it as Mercers - after a Dr. Mercer. Also Mercers and Met

[Bobbieo]

9. 'Mercers and Meth Abuse'

[Avalux]

10. It's not the same thing.

MRSA is a bacterial infection; I am not sure what Mercer's is - searching doesn't give me a definitive answer. Can you provide me a direct link? Thanks!

[Bobbieo]

12. I looked under 'Mercers' on Google

and it came up "Mercers and Meth Abuse" which surprised the hell out of me as that was what I was looking for - a connection between meth abuse and the horrible infection that almost killed my son.

[Javaman]

14. Bobby Mercer, he played for the NY Yankees. :) nt

[Mnemosyne]

13. And they also save the remainder

to use later! I've checked out med cabinets at friend's homes and found 5 year old antibiotics.

This is one of the most terrifying books I have ever read, and I've read many.

Completely chilling.

The plague makers :how we are creating catastrophic new epidemics-- and what we must do to avert them
by Jeffrey Fisher

http://www.powells.com/biblio/1-0671791567-6

Book News Annotation:
Describes how the indiscriminate use of antibiotics has resulted in the emergence of virulent antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria that could lead to catastrophic epidemics of untreatable disease. Dr. Fisher also proposes that excessive antibiotic use has increased the spread of AIDS to the non-drug-addicted community. He chronicles the discovery of antibiotics, and gives a comprehensive guide to antibiotics and their proper application, with specific advice on which drugs will minimize the development of antibiotic resistance.
Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
Copyright:
1994

[AlienGirl]

22. Also widespread use of antibiotics in "factory" meat and dairy production

Many animals are prophylactically dosed with antibiotics because it makes them gain weight faster, or in the case of cows, stops mastitis at an early stage.

Tucker

[AnneD]

15. We had 5 cases

in our school (one was a parent)2 years ago. I learned more than I want to. The staph can invade though micro abrasions in the skin. The fist and most memorable case was a little girl whose shoes were too tight. On initial assessment, it didn't look too bad, but I cautioned Mom to watch her. Two days later she was spiking a temp. After 2 days of of dealing with the temp, Mom took her to the Doc and they admitted her into the hospital. The infection had worked into the bone and she had to have surgery to remove infection and was on IV abx for 6 weeks. I did an epidemiological study with our city Epidemiology Department to see if we could find a source/discover what it was. I won't forget what it looks like anytime soon. It doesn't look bad per se, but it moves quickly and the high temps are the tip off. The kids had to take some heavy duty abxs.

Forgot to add: skin infections were the #1 problem for Katrina evacuees. That could have caused an even greater uptick in the numbers.

[Tellurian]

16. Pure Oxygen therapy helps tremendously combined with

antibiotic therapy. The occurrences of killer staph infections is because of the depletion of the Oxygen in our environment trumped by the excessive Carbon Dioxide which provides a medium in which staph infections flourish. If faced with this diabolical invader, hurry to oxygen therapy, and you will vanquish this foe post haste.

[Seedersandleechers]

17. That makes a lot of sense

I see at least 10 new cases a week in a population of 800 within a confined space. Ventilation is recycled over and over.

[Tellurian]

19. Just pouring gasoline on a bon-fire..

Glad I could provide some help. Sometimes the simplest remedy's work the best. However, many doctors are thoroughly mainstreamed big pharmaceuticals, they forget what they learned in their 8th grade science class. So, you pick the ball up yourself and just do it..

:cheers:

[bleedingheart]

18. my physician was talking to me about this....

he has seen more cases of this recently...

[AlienGirl]

20. I've had it, Everythingsxen almost died from it earlier this year

This is a really nasty bug. Very painful, fast-moving, and dangerous. And once you've been "colonized" by it, the MRSA bacteria live inside your nose and can't be gotten rid of, so you will be in danger of re-infection from any wound.

Tucker

[JCMach1]

21. My daughter had severe staphylococcus scalded skin syndrome

two years ago... They had to treat like a burn patient... :(

It's definitely out there folks