Author Topic: CDC: Drug-Resistant Staph Death Toll May Surpass AIDS Toll (Read 12412 times)

thunter34 · « **on:** October 17, 2007, 01:44:37 am »

From a news release from CNN. Study indicates death toll from MRSA may surpass death toll for numerous other big name diseases, including AIDS.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/conditions/10/16/mrsa.cdc.ap/index.html

DISCUSS.

Miss Philicia · « **Reply #1 on:** October 17, 2007, 02:16:19 am »

Yeah, I saw that on Yahoo News earlier. I always wonder how I've avoided both staph and shingles over the years.

komnaes · « **Reply #2 on:** October 17, 2007, 02:50:19 am »

Just another sign that those bacteria and virus are winning...

There are local news here about "superbugs" spreading in hospitals and no one seems to be really alerted despite some highly publicized deaths.

The health care system here is also partially responsible - while government clinics are very cheap most people choose to go see "private" (i.e. non-government payrolled) doctors for small problems like flu, etc, and they charge by how many meds they prescript to patients.

I remember I had a very minor soar throat last year and went to a private doctor just so he could write me a document for me to claim the day off as sick leave. He gave me like 3 types of antibodic. A lot of doctors just give them out like M&Ms.

Shaun

manchesteruk · « **Reply #3 on:** October 17, 2007, 03:30:00 am »

I always try to ignore these scaremongering messages of impending doom, I can't keep up with them all for a start! Bird flu anyone?

JohnOso · « **Reply #4 on:** October 17, 2007, 03:31:18 am »

I really hate to hear stories like this.

As someone who was off work for three months with a nasty MRSA infection, it scares me a bit. Plus, once you have had MRSA, it's theoretically easier to come down with another batch of it.

All I can say is wash your hands, and if you have any cuts, make sure they are washed, cleaned and covered.

komnaes · « **Reply #5 on:** October 17, 2007, 03:49:15 am »

Quote from: manchesteruk on October 17, 2007, 03:30:00 am

I always try to ignore these scaremongering messages of impending doom, I can't keep up with them all for a start! Bird flu anyone?

Don't even mention that mate, we HAD it right here in Hong Kong and China. And I must tell you it was really scary. At one point 20-30 people who lived in the same block died within the same week.

Jeffreyj · « **Reply #6 on:** October 17, 2007, 04:10:48 am »

Nice advice John Oso, I heard today on the news that it is most common to get in hospitals. And that if you wash your hands, it goes a long way in prevention.

Damn, what's next?

Jeff(who washed his hands after the movies tonight.

Dachshund · « **Reply #7 on:** October 17, 2007, 08:49:21 am »

A MRSA is what knocked our own Mr. Bucko down for the count landing him in the hospital.

David_CA · « **Reply #8 on:** October 17, 2007, 10:39:36 am »

Quote from: JohnOso on October 17, 2007, 03:31:18 am

All I can say is wash your hands, and if you have any cuts, make sure they are washed, cleaned and covered.

I've become quite germaphobic since finding out I was HIV+. It's not so bad that I won't go out, do things (or people

), etc, but bad enough that I wash my hands about 15-20 times daily at work. If I touch somebody's keyboard or mouse, phone, pen, whatever, I 'have' to wash my hands right after. It's kind of funny, in a way, that the most basic hygiene is what can help keep us healthy.

David

aztecan · « **Reply #9 on:** October 17, 2007, 10:46:12 am »

OK gang, get ready, Mother Mark is going to off on a rant.

Everywhere I look, I see "antibacterial" this, that or the other. Yesterday, I saw antibacterial Kleenex.

We are using antibiotics out the butt for no good reason. That is why these so-called "superbugs" are developing. How many people realize you must wash your hands for 20 minutes for most antibacterial soaps to actually kill off the germs on your hand?

It is just so unnecessary. Everyday soap and water will do just as well and not help create superbugs.

Tell corporate America to get off its antibiotic kick and get real.

OK, I feel better now.

HUGS,

Mark

(Who uses Kirk's Castille Soap, made with cocoa butter but without antibiotics for his delicate skin)

thunter34 · « **Reply #10 on:** October 17, 2007, 12:41:16 pm »

Quote from: aztecan on October 17, 2007, 10:46:12 am

OK gang, get ready, Mother Mark is going to off on a rant.

Everywhere I look, I see "antibacterial" this, that or the other. Yesterday, I saw antibacterial Kleenex.

We are using antibiotics out the butt for no good reason. That is why these so-called "superbugs" are developing. How many people realize you must wash your hands for 20 minutes for most antibacterial soaps to actually kill off the germs on your hand?

It is just so unnecessary. Everyday soap and water will do just as well and not help create superbugs.

Tell corporate America to get off its antibiotic kick and get real.

OK, I feel better now.

HUGS,

Mark

(Who uses Kirk's Castille Soap, made with cocoa butter but without antibiotics for his delicate skin)

As ususal, our own Mother Mark is spot on about this. These products exist for profit reasons and nothing else. The manufacturers of these items already know what Mark has just shared. Thanks, Mark.

MOONLIGHT1114 · « **Reply #11 on:** October 17, 2007, 01:08:37 pm »

Quote from: aztecan on October 17, 2007, 10:46:12 am

How many people realize you must wash your hands for 20 minutes for most antibacterial soaps to actually kill off the germs on your hand?

Mark~

Please tell me that was a typo. I thought it was 20 seconds and you should wash halfway up the forearms, as well.

~Cindy

manchesteruk · « **Reply #12 on:** October 17, 2007, 02:28:14 pm »

Quote from: komnaes on October 17, 2007, 03:49:15 am

Don't even mention that mate, we HAD it right here in Hong Kong and China. And I must tell you it was really scary. At one point 20-30 people who lived in the same block died within the same week.

When did that happen? I didn't think there had even been 30 cases ever reported in China and that has a population of over 1 billion people!

whizzer · « **Reply #13 on:** October 17, 2007, 09:32:58 pm »

Quote from: aztecan on October 17, 2007, 10:46:12 am

OK gang, get ready, Mother Mark is going to off on a rant.

Everywhere I look, I see "antibacterial" this, that or the other. Yesterday, I saw antibacterial Kleenex.

We are using antibiotics out the butt for no good reason. That is why these so-called "superbugs" are developing. How many people realize you must wash your hands for 20 minutes for most antibacterial soaps to actually kill off the germs on your hand?

It is just so unnecessary. Everyday soap and water will do just as well and not help create superbugs.

Tell corporate America to get off its antibiotic kick and get real.

OK, I feel better now.

HUGS,

Mark

(Who uses Kirk's Castille Soap, made with cocoa butter but without antibiotics for his delicate skin)

Antibacterial does NOT mean antibiotic. Almost all soaps tend to disrupt the metabolism of bacteria when mixed with water, and can therefore be termed "antibacterial". The so-called hand sanitizers - Purell and the like - usually use ethyl alcohol in high concentration, which is a powerful microbicide, but still not the same as our antibiotic medications. Still other chemicals used for disinfection kill all bacteria, viruses and their spores outright and are generally labeled "bacteriocidal", or "tuberculocidal" (depending on what they kill) but even they are not antibiotics as we know them. They do not cause the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

MRSA and other superbugs come from overuse of antibiotic medications, often in situations where they are not required, but where patients demand them nonetheless. And that in and of itself is not the problem, it's that people don't take them as prescribed and frequently don't finish the course of medication because they begin to feel better. The superbugs are spread by hand-nose-hand-mouth-ass-hand-nose-keyboard-hand-mouth contact from person to person, and this can be reduced by adequate handwashing and use of hand sanitizers.

That's only the tip of the iceberg. The BIG problem is the enormous amount of antibiotics fed to livestock along with their feed. They only metabolize about 10-25% of the antibiotics, and poop and pee out the rest right into.....you guessed it, our rivers and streams, where the naturally occurring bacteria are exposed to antibiotics and can develop resistance before they ever even get to us.

The solution is to tighten up our use of antibiotics, limiting it to health care providers (for people), and veterinarians (for livestock and pets), and NOT allow food manufacturers and producers to purchase or produce them. This is a relatively easy task. The DEA need only make antibiotics controlled substances, right up there with opiate pain medications. Changing the perceptions of the patients who demand antibiotics for every little ailment will take a lot more work.

Alas, the genie may be out of the bottle for MRSA, but perhaps we can prevent the development of any new ones.

komnaes · « **Reply #14 on:** October 17, 2007, 09:41:08 pm »

Quote from: manchesteruk on October 17, 2007, 02:28:14 pm

When did that happen? I didn't think there had even been 30 cases ever reported in China and that has a population of over 1 billion people!

That was SARS back in 2002/03. Death tolls in Hong Kong was 298.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/3011724.stm

StrongGuy · « **Reply #15 on:** October 17, 2007, 11:14:48 pm »

I'm addicted to Purell since the staph bugger started getting out of control and took hold on my fucking stomach. Luckily it was localized and non-resistant, so no hospital. But it still hurt and burned and pussed out like a m***fu**er. I know people who (who were neg) who have died from this crap - got into their blood. This is serious shit.

BTW, Purell (Ethyl alcohol based sanitizers) won't contribute to the development of resistant strains because it evaporates quickly and not enough time for bacteria to mutate. It's the antibacterial products that contain longer lasting active ingredients (like the soap doctor's use to wash prior to surgery and OTC soap products that contain triclosan -- all linger and can allow bacteria to mutate into resistant strains). At least that's what my doctor told me!

thunter34 · « **Reply #16 on:** October 17, 2007, 11:21:47 pm »

I also got staph on my stomach about a year ago that swelled to the size of an egg.

Sexy, no?

Miss Philicia · « **Reply #17 on:** October 17, 2007, 11:37:59 pm »

Wait... so there's soap I should not be buying?

wut

Actually the only anti-bacterial stuff I buy is dish soap. I'm not huge on all of these additives, plus I'm a firm believer that filthy nasties prop up one's immune system not the reverse.

Just checked under my sink and yes it has Triclosan in it. Damn the Evil Corporations!

bear60 · « **Reply #18 on:** October 18, 2007, 10:52:05 am »

Question: If it says anti bacterial on a product....that doesnt mean it contains antibiotic...does it?

Comment: there was a BIG story on this MRSA on NPR yesterday and some listener actually asked the question Mark makes reference to: Does the proliferation of anti bacterial products add to the resistance of MRSA

Doctors answer: those antibacterials have NO affect on MSRA and do not have anything to do with the increase of MSRA's.
Where is it common to find MSRA"s ...you ask.....according to the Doc on NPR.....in boys lockerrooms. All football teams in the USA have been notified to have everything laundered after each practice. Boys should not wear day old sweaty Tshirts. So washing everything regularly helps. Kurt and I strip the beds every week.
Doc on NPR also said Staph lives normally...on all of us...in our nose. So the dreaded "intimate" contact can be a way of passing it around.

jack · « **Reply #19 on:** October 18, 2007, 11:33:16 am »

Its that time of year again. How can we scare the shit out of everyone. Remember the Bird Flu or on of my favorites, Y2K,killer bees, and the recent fear mongering by Algore and the Warmers. We have a little fear gap and they come up with this one. Get ready cause the bird flu crap starts up every winter. Dont fall for it.

Miss Philicia · « **Reply #20 on:** October 18, 2007, 12:50:29 pm »

poppers kill MRSA

jack · « **Reply #21 on:** October 18, 2007, 12:53:29 pm »

what about that flesh eating bateria that was gonna kill us all a few years ago? And the meat that makes you go insane?

komnaes · « **Reply #22 on:** October 18, 2007, 01:01:41 pm »

Quote from: jack on October 18, 2007, 11:33:16 am

Its that time of year again. How can we scare the shit out of everyone. Remember the Bird Flu.. Get ready cause the bird flu crap starts up every winter. Dont fall for it.

Hey folks, I really do have an issue with labeling SARS/bird flu as scaremongering. I lived through that period in Asia, which during SARS has a total death tolls of close to 300 people within two months in Hong Kong alone, and probably a lot more than officially reported in China. And bird flu is still spreading, well, among birds and poultry.

Dachshund · « **Reply #23 on:** October 18, 2007, 01:02:29 pm »

Quote from: jack on October 18, 2007, 12:53:29 pm

what about that flesh eating bateria that was gonna kill us all a few years ago? And the meat that makes you go insane?

Have another burger Jake.

Miss Philicia · « **Reply #24 on:** October 18, 2007, 01:05:39 pm »

Quote from: komnaes on October 18, 2007, 01:01:41 pm

Hey folks, I really do have an issue with labeling SARS/bird flu as scaremongering. I lived through that period in Asia, which during SARS has a total death tolls of close to 300 people within two months in Hong Kong alone, and probably a lot more than officially reported in China. And bird flu is still spreading, well, among birds and poultry.

Shaun, you'll learn to ignore jack.

Dachshund · « **Reply #25 on:** October 18, 2007, 01:16:18 pm »

edited because i suddenly feel icky posting in this thread

Lwood · « **Reply #26 on:** October 18, 2007, 01:58:09 pm »

I'm the Howard Hughes of handwashing ....Antibacterials be damned youll wash away way more crap than youll ever kill, even with the Pump Soap version of Napalm

Probably the best habit you can get into is not to touch your face, sounds weird but its pretty much how alot of bugs get into your system, eye rubbing , nose picking, ear scratching and God Forbid 'Tooth Picking " all need to go by the wayside for we " Persons Of Virus "

L
who still picks his nose on occasion......

jack · « **Reply #27 on:** October 19, 2007, 11:57:19 am »

even the birds arent afraid of bird flu.

ImagineFL · « **Reply #28 on:** October 19, 2007, 12:02:20 pm »

I have some pictures of my calves with the super bug... errr something strange. My ID doctor said it was some rare tropical thing and it was a good thing I came right to him when I got back from vacation.

I'll spare you all the pictures unless you really deem it necessary to make your stomachs churn. lol

Iggy · « **Reply #29 on:** October 19, 2007, 02:00:21 pm »

I love how AIDS remains the benchmark for scare value in health crisis.

Whether it is SARS, Birdflu or MRSA, they always announce the newest fashion line of from the House of public health scare as: "NEW AND IMPROVED...AND MORE LIKELY TO KILL YOU THAN AIDS!

Yeah...we've come a long way indeed.

Bucko · « **Reply #30 on:** October 20, 2007, 11:55:07 am »

Quote from: Dachshund on October 17, 2007, 08:49:21 am

A MRSA is what knocked our own Mr. Bucko down for the count landing him in the hospital.

I happened to be in the ER with a friend to whom, I was panicked to think, I might have accidentally passed MRSA when this story broke.

It turned out to be a garden-variety peri-anal cyst, which, though yucky, responded beautifully to antibiotics.

Brent
(Who seems to always be tagged with the moniker Typhoid Mary)

Dachshund · « **Reply #31 on:** October 20, 2007, 02:01:44 pm »

Drug-Resistant Staph Widespread
A study from the Centers for Disease Control found that potentially deadly drug-resistant staph infections were more prevalent than originally believed. What do you think?

JoAnn Ways,
Systems Analyst
"Yeah, well, I bet they're not fist-resistant."

Jason Weintraub,
Deli Clerk
"If things keep going the way they're going, I might actually get to blast a zombie with a shotgun."

Ralph Barnes,
Consultant
"And you don't even get to have sex with the person in order to catch this disease? Sometimes I really hate nature."
More American Voices

pozguy75 · « **Reply #32 on:** October 20, 2007, 05:40:00 pm »

Well boys and girls yours truly had the same thing back in May, and I, like Buckles can tell how serious this is. If I hadn't gone in when I did...I would not have survived the weekend. God it was miserable!

We all need to take care and wash our hands, and be careful with cuts, scrapes and wounds...

We all have staph on our skin...so you don't even have to touch anyone...you can do it yourself.

bear60 · « **Reply #33 on:** October 20, 2007, 05:50:25 pm »

There was a big article in the paper today about staph and in the article it was stated that the over use of these antibacterials has contributed to the development of the MRSA staph. So, Mark I think you are right. It does make sense. Maybe I heard wrong on the NPR show, wouldnt be the first time.

northernguy · « **Reply #34 on:** October 20, 2007, 06:44:08 pm »

My two MRSA outbreaks were on my scalp, no doubt a result of scratching my dry flaky head

I have my labs done at the hospital, and one of the first things I wondered was if I could have picked it up there. I usually have to use their washroom to take a "nervous leak", as I wait for the blood draw.

The other thing I've read is that community-acquired MRSA is on the rise especially among gay men, maybe a result of more casual sex? I'm surprised and disappointed the local gay paper hasn't done a story to warn people of it.

Has anyone had their doctor recommend attempted "decolonization" of MRSA? My doc doesn't believe it would be effective.

Miss Philicia · « **Reply #35 on:** October 20, 2007, 06:55:28 pm »

Quote from: northernguy on October 20, 2007, 06:44:08 pm

The other thing I've read is that community-acquired MRSA is on the rise especially among gay men, maybe a result of more casual sex?

I'd almost guess "gym" before that, but what do I know?

northernguy · « **Reply #36 on:** October 20, 2007, 07:45:07 pm »

Quote from: philly267 on October 20, 2007, 06:55:28 pm

I'd almost guess "gym" before that, but what do I know?

About casual sex, or the gym?

pozguy75 · « **Reply #37 on:** October 21, 2007, 01:10:17 pm »

Quote from: northernguy on October 20, 2007, 07:45:07 pm

About casual sex, or the gym?

The gym...this thing is passed just by touching someone or something...

Bucko · « **Reply #38 on:** October 21, 2007, 03:39:15 pm »

Quote from: pozguy75 on October 20, 2007, 05:40:00 pm

We all have staph on our skin...so you don't even have to touch anyone...you can do it yourself.

This bears repeating, even in the vacuum chamber that is an on-line message board. And I'll not even approach the concept that MRSA is somehow an STD and that, therefore gay men are more likely to get it.

Blech!

bear60 · « **Reply #39 on:** October 21, 2007, 07:31:49 pm »

I have a nasty gash on my right leg from a sharp metal object. How do I avoid gettin a MRSA.

Bucko · « **Reply #40 on:** October 21, 2007, 07:54:41 pm »

Assuming you've had a tetanus shot, keep it covered and clean. Wash your hands frequently, especially as you tend to the wound.

Do not scratch it if it becomes itchy. If you find any swelling, go straight to the doctor's.

RapidRod · « **Reply #41 on:** October 23, 2007, 05:18:51 am »

This stuff is running wild through our schools. We’ve had six confirmed cases in the last week just at one school in the county. We had one boy die with it in the Wilmington school district. This must be some bad shit.

cjc · « **Reply #42 on:** October 23, 2007, 08:27:05 am »

Quote from: RapidRod on October 23, 2007, 05:18:51 am

This stuff is running wild through our schools. We?ve had six confirmed cases in the last week just at one school in the county. We had one boy die with it in the Wilmington school district. This must be some bad shit.

Hello, are you in NC also. I have heard on the news that it is in several schools in NC. Kinda scary. Robert and I have had regular staph infections. I guess they were regular since they responded to antibiotics. But the boils are painful and nasty. We wash our hands a lot and haven't had it in over a year. Hope it stays away. Cristy

RapidRod · « **Reply #43 on:** October 23, 2007, 12:38:52 pm »

No Cristy, I'm in southwestern Ohio.

Longislander · « **Reply #44 on:** October 25, 2007, 02:09:00 am »

3 kids in my local high school have gotten it, all on the football team.

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Author Topic: CDC: Drug-Resistant Staph Death Toll May Surpass AIDS Toll (Read 12412 times)