Staph skin infections on rise in U.S.

[donsu]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060816/ap_on_he_me/staph_infections

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.

(nursing homes - those wonderful places we stash our elderly relatives)

-snip-

"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.

-snip-

Skin infections can be life-threatening if bacteria get into the bloodstream. Drug-resistant strains can also cause a vicious type of pneumonia and even "flesh-eating" wounds.

-snip-

The germ typically thrives in health-care settings where people have open wounds and tubes. But in recent years, outbreaks have occurred among prisoners, children and athletes, with the germ spreading through skin contact or shared items such as towels. Dozens of people in Ohio, Kentucky and Vermont recently got MRSA skin infections from tattoos.
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it seems draining the pus out is a better treatment then drugs.

along with getting doctors on the ball, high school biology classes and lessons on cleanliness should be ramped up.

[leeroysphitz]

1. My son has this and it is proving to be VERY difficult to get rid of.

He's 19 mo. and it's been a recurring problem. We've had to start seeing the infectious disease people at Detroit's Children's Hospital and still have had no luck...

This is a very worrisome problem.

[melnjones]

3. My neighbor's grandbaby (2 yrs old) had MRSA...

Caused several trips to the ER and children's hospital, including a couple hospital stays. It's some nasty stuff.

[leeroysphitz]

6. Did she end up finally getting rid of it for good? If so could you ask

her how? Maybe PM me? Thanks!

[AlCzervik]

2. i had a staph infection about 5 months ago after some minor, i mean very

minor surgery, the infection was way worse than the procedure.

[LisaM]

4. Quit using those anti-bacterial cleaners and soaps

A friend of mine is a pediatrician, and she is adament that use of the anti-bacterial products is helping to create the super bugs. She says don't use them, it's better to use soap, and, in most cases, it's better just to rub your hands under running water.

[The2ndWheel]

5. I'm sure we'll try to cure this

only to see some other bacteria and/or germ get going. Eventually we'll have something that can swallow a person whole.

[TheDebbieDee]

7. I saw a report on Good Morning, America.......

a couple of weeks ago that stated that cell phones are a breeding ground for the germs and bacteria that cause staph infections!

[SoCalDem]

8. I think it's because "everything' these days seems to be

infused with anti-bacterial this and that.. Americans are obsessed with germs, and will take antibiotics at the first sniffle. We have probably compromised our immune systems and have little immunity to things that once caused us no harm..

Kids don;t play outside in the dirt like they used to. (I have actually seen kids with those "purell dispensers" on a cord..)

I also suspect that people do not wash their hands very much..

my .02