Drug-Resistant Staph Germ's Toll Is Higher Than That of AIDS

Gangrene green. My dad had a lovely shade of it on the bedsores all over his body before he died.

God, I thought MRSSA had increased mightily beyond my knowledge, until I saw Finn's article only refers to the USA (and, I wouldn't be surprised to discover, countries like the UK, Australia, Canada etc.)


That is a very misleading heading, given the AIDS toll throughout the world.


What's your point, Finn?


Are you suggesting that there is widespread prejudice against MRSSA sufferers, as there was against AIDS sufferers, and that a campaign against this prejudice is needed but nobody will do it?



That the bug is scary is not news to anyone with any knowledge, and AIDS deaths in the west have become much more rare.


Anyone with any sense is scared of MRSSA, and does their best not to be part of the abuse of antibiotics, so raising awareness of it is good.

Your snide remarks are, at best, useless in this endeavour, however.

I picked up a stap infection from ground wasp bites on a big toe. My foot blew up to the size of a football, I lost three toenails andhobbled around for weeks before the infection subsided with treatment.

Very unpleasant.

I understand that a lot of people go into the hospital for one thing and come out with a secondary staph infection.

It is scary.

it's taken a foothold in quite a few canadian hospitals too .
apparently it presents a greater health threat WITHIN canada than aids .
infection control specialists have been stressing AGAIN : WASH YOUR HANDS - and that includes surgeons too !
some hospitals are now installing handwashing and alcohol-based cleaning solutions both at the entrance to every hospital room AND NEXT to each patient's bed .
a montrel hospital has started testing EVERY patient who will be admitted for an overnight stay . they'll be put into isolation if they test positive .
apparently there are a number of carriers in the population that do not show signs of being infected - but they are carriers and pass it on to others easily !
nasty stuff .
hvg

Appreciate the post being "featured," but I intended to post it in Politics.

I have a great deal of sympathy for anyone who is gravely ill --- not matter what the disease. I do not take lightly their suffering and pray nightly for their recovery.

I do not however have much use for the politicization of diseases which seems to be all the rage now.

Actually, I don't expect Hollywood to overtly get behind any effort to combat this disease. Unless, that is, it should happen that we find staph disproportionately affects women, gays, people who lived in New Orleans during Katrina, drivers of hybrid cars, Palestinians, Asian and African orphans,or Vegans.

With schools being evacuated so they can be disinfected, I suspect this one will get quite a lot of press and a big reaction from the public, and we won't need Liz Taylor or Leo DiCaprio.

It would be ironic indeed if frivilous use of one the crowning achievements of human civilization ultimately spelled it's demise, but one can probably say that about more than antibiotics.

Finn, you'll be happy to hear that I am starting a new political action group to promote the funding of research into diseases of the white man's anus. Our focused fight will be to cure such scourges as hemorrhoids and cancerous prostrate glans.

Our symbol will be a dung-colored ribbon worn under the nose.

finn wrote :



having listened to the infection control officer at our hospital , i understand that indiscriminate use of antibiotics can indeed be a real problem .
too many people seem to believe that a dose of antibiotics will cure just about any disease .
a good example would be the common cold . many people that catch an ordinary "cold" run off to the doctor asking for antibiotics instead of staying at home for a few days and drinking plenty of fluids , eating sensibly and getting some rest . the argument seems to be quite often : "i can't be away from work ; just give me a pill that'll cure it right away " .

too many people seem to believe that simple cleaning procedures and hand-washing are a waste of time . "if i'll get sick , i'll take a pill " , seems to be their attitude .

i'm often astonished to see people use the washroom without washing their hands before leaving . i wonder if they were never taught to wash their hands ?

an additional problem seems to be the indiscriminate use of "anti-bacterial" sprays .
the claim is often : "kills 99 % of all germs" .
what it ususally does is kill 99% of the less dangerous and even beneficial
"bugs" and at the same time turn the remaining 1% into "super bugs" - that become ever more resistant to medications .

i think using antibiotics - and anything else for that matter - sensibly , is the right approach . there is no need to "overdose" - particularly if it doesn't even work !
hbg


for more on the subject :
OVERUSE OF ANTIBIOTICS

Saw on the news about MRSA in the USA.We,in the UK have had MRSA for some time now but only in our Hospitals and not anywhere else in the neighbourhood.Some Hospitals say that it is being brought into Hospitals by the public.Personally I dispute this.Recent information is that our Hospitals are dirty and the dirty ones have been publicly named.
I talked to our GP about this and he told me that you do not need any fancy antibacteria products,Just hand washing,even if it means being fanatical about hand washing.Soap and water.
A member of my family had Open Heart Surgery a few months back and I looked after his chest wound after discharge from Hospital and he did not acquire anything like MRSA because I kept the wound scrupulously clean,so there's your answer.Its definitely dirty conditions that is causing it.
Hope things improve on this subject over there.