I came across a site that has comments from people that have been diagnosed with MRSA.
Presently there are some 330 comments! 

You can check them out @ http://www.mrsaresources.com/mrsa-survival-in-adaptation/

Dee
Moderator
Stop_MRSA_Now

I have added a bunch of YouTube videos about MRSA to the group's "Links" area in a folder called "ZZZ - MRSA Videos".  One in particular to be EXCELLENT.  Check it out: 

MRSA: The Ticking Time Bomb @ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_kBGjQTDLE

Dee
Moderator
Stop_MRSA_Now

You know what I find funny (and not in a HA HA way by any means) is on the "Health Topics" page http://www.bccdc.org/topic_index.php on the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) website nowhere does it talk about MRSA, Staphylococcus infections (antibiotic resistant or not), or even antibiotic resistance.

Yet it DOES have a section about VRE. another antibiotic resistant bacteria, however not as common or wide spread as MRSA!  That is crazy!!  I think I'm going to have to write them an email and express my concerns regarding that.

By the way my mother acquired MRSA in November of 2005 while having an angioplasty procedure at St. Paul's Hospital in Vancouver, BC.  She acquired VRE from the same hospital while in ICU recovering from a triple bi-pass in July of 2006!

Dee
Moderator
Stop_MRSA_Now

I have just created a folder in the "Files" section of the group called "REPORTS".  The following is a snippit of the file called "Antimicrobial Resistance Trends in BC - Canada". As with most medical reports it's filled with a lot of "gobblely gook" medical terms, but I think you'll still be able to get the picture that MRSA is problem that is INCREASING rather than decreasing. (FYI:  antimicrobials = antibiotics)

You will need Adobe Reader to view the entire file.  If you don't have it installed in your computer you can download it from free from:  http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

Here's the snippet:

Hi fudie09,

Like anything on the Internet you just have to choose what you want to watch and not watch. I can assure you that my show "MRSA (Superbug)" which I will be broadcasting live on BlogTV on Friday March 21st @ 7:00 PM EASTERN will be fair from wild. 

On BlogTV not only do viewers have the opportunity to interact with the broadcaster (who I might add the viewer sees and hears because the broadcaster is on web camera) with text chat, the broadcaster also has the option of having someone from the "audience" co-host as well.

Since you indicated in your post you have "a lot of info to offer about MRSA" I would be delighted to have you co-host for a portion of my broadcast.  This would save you a whole lot of typing.  To be a co-host all you need is a webcam and a mic and you're good to go!  However keep in mind wheither you co-host or not all "audience" members must sign up with BlogTV to acquire an account and username in order to interact in my show. To sign up click on the following link:

http://www.blogtv.com/Registration

1. Just before the broadcast starts simply logon to www.blogtv.com using your user name and password.
   
2. Once you've logged on copy and paste the following into that same browser http://www.blogtv.com/Shows/37861 and then hit enter. 
   
3. I have made screen shots of what the pages will look like at the various stages accessing my show on BlogTV after you have done step 2.  To view the screen shots go to the "Photos" link in the Yahoo group.  I hope this helps.

Dee
Moderator
Stop_MRSA_Now

--- In Stop_MRSA_Now@yahoogroups.com, "fudie09" <fudie09@...> wrote:
>
> I must say I was quite shocked at what was on there. I must live in a
> bubble or maybe I should just say I'm not use to trash like that.
> I use the web for research & keeping in touch. I must be out of touch.
> I have alot of info to offer about MRSA.
> I will try to find your show for Friday night and hope I get something
> out of it.
> Possibly I need some help here to stay out of thegarbage bin
> Fudie
>

I must say I was quite shocked at what was on there. I must live in a
bubble or maybe I should just say I'm not use to trash like that.
I use the web for research & keeping in touch. I must be out of touch.
I have alot of info to offer about MRSA.
I will try to find your show for Friday night and hope I get something
out of it.
Possibly I need some help here to stay out of thegarbage bin
Fudie

Hi everybody!

You may have noticed I changed all member email settings to "Daily Digest" as opposed to "Individual Emailis", "No Emails" or "Special Notices".  I have done this so you as a member of this group will get notification of posted messages in the form of one packet of messages and so that your email isn't flooded with individual emails.

I think you'll find this a better way to read the messages in your email.  Let me know what you think.  Thanks!

Dee
Moderator
Stop_MRSA_Now

As I mentioned in a couple of recent posts I broadcast live on BlogTV.

I presently have four different shows one of which is called "MRSA (Superbug)".  I don't have a regular schedule at this time for this show however I will be broadcasting live on Friday March 21st, 2008 @ 7:00 PM EASTERN. 

If you wish to participate in the discussion (via text chat) you will need to sign up with BlogTV to get a user name.  The process only takes a few minutes and it is FREE!!  To sign up click on the following link:

http://www.blogtv.com/Registration

To view my live broadcast about MRSA on Friday simply click on the following link:

http://www.blogtv.com/Shows/37861

Hope to "see" you then!

Dee
Moderator
Stop_MRSA_Now

Hello Anita,

Thank you for sharing your story with the group.

My mother acquired MRSA in November of 2005 and VRE (another antibiotic resistant bacteria) in July of 2006.
The doctors admitted that in all likelihood she acquired both during her hospitalization in their hospitals.  When I spoke to a lawyer (that has been specializing in medical malpractice suits for the last 20 years) when my mother was still alive she said she'd be more than happy to take the case however also stated she could not in good conscience charge me $400 an hour knowing the case would most likely not have a favourable outcome for my mother.

She further went on to say the result would be that way because of the present legislation which basically does NOT hold hospitals for example accountable when it comes to patients acquiring MRSA in their facility.  So the doctors can admit all they want ... doesn't mean a damn thing!

Recently there was a huge study on all the hospitals here in British Columbia.  I'm not sure who exactly conducted the study but I believe it was conducted through the province's Ministry of Health.  The study indicated the ranking on a variety of issues within the hospitals, including infection rates.  No doubt a lot of tax payer's money was spent on the study.  The hospitals co-operated in the study HOWEVER when the study results came out the names of the hospitals were coded because the hospitals did not want their name to be public.  I just shake my head when things like this happen.

I think you were VERY fortunate to get the hospital to agree to write off your daughter's medical bills.

I broadcast on BlogTV.  One of my viewers who lives in the States told me her dad has MRSA.  She told me her dad has to fork out $300 a WEEK for antibiotics!!  That's $1200 a month!! More than what most people pay for rent!!  She has tried different avenues to try to get his medication subsidized with no success.  Again I just shake my head.

Dee
Moderator
Stop_MRSA_Now

--- In Stop_MRSA_Now@yahoogroups.com, "Anita Knepp" <the_knepps@...> wrote:
>
> My story is really long, so I'll just tell the Readers Digest vs. My
> 17 yr. old daughter had ACL surgery in Sept. and MRSA was diagnosed
> when her wound opened up 8 or 9 days later. She had surgery and we
> were told by the I.D. Dr. that she got it due to bad luck. She had a
> PICC line and had lots of allergic reactions to the meds. She lost
> 20 lbs. also due to some of them making her sick. She had swelling
> with fluid leaking from her knee in Jan. We were told that it was
> not infected. Knowing what we know now, we should have demanded they
> culture it, but they didn't. These were the I.D. doctors that knew
> she'd had MRSA. Anyway, her body fought it off for awhile and in
> March, the swelling came back and we found that she has it in her
> femur now. She had 2 surgeries and a 6 day hospital stay. She is
> back on a PICC line and home now. She sleeps all the time, but
> hobbles around pretty well when awake.
>
> We called the hospital in Nov. to tell them we didn't think we
> should have to pay the rest of our bills. The ins. co. had paid them
> 90% or more. The hospital administrator lied to me and said that my
> daughter never had MRSA and that she checked w/I.D. dept. and they
> confirmed that. I knew she was wrong but didn't want to sue.
>
> I called the hospital last wk. to let them know that we are upset
> now and ready to get an attorney (knowing that MRSA lawsuits are not
> easy to win and most attorneys won't even take the cases) but that
> we'd rather work with them. The patient advocate said today that
> they agree that she got MRSA at their hospital. I was shocked that
> they admitted it, but so far, only offering to write off their
> hospital bills.
>

That's EXCELLENT news hon!  Thanks for sharing it.

Do you happen to have a link you can post in the group that states the wording of the new legislation for the readers? Although I am in Canada I for one would like to see what it says. 

Dee
Moderator
Stop_MRS_Now

--- In Stop_MRSA_Now@yahoogroups.com, "crazy" <dirtymarycrazylarry@...> wrote:
>
> HB1546 has been voted DO PASS by the Health Care Policy Committee of
> the Missouri House of Representatives.
>
> It has to be voted in by the House, then on to the senate.
>
> This may be the best staph legislation to be brought forward yet in the
> US.
>
> We are hopeful....but it is not over by a long shot. The hospital
> association and nurses association are against this legislation....
>

Hello Mark and welcome to the group!

As you know I broadcast on BlogTV and presently have four shows; one of which is called "MRSA (Superbug).
I plan on being broadcasting more in that show as I feel there is a real need to tell people about MRSA and PREVENTION.  It breaks my heart when I hear about how lives have been changed because either they or a loved one acquired MRSA, either in a hospital (HA MRSA) or in the community (CA MRSA).

Please pass the link to this group to EVERYONE one you know.  The public has the right to know what is being kept "hush hush" by governments, doctors, and infection control people.  Thanks!

Dee
Moderator
Stop_MRSA_Now

--- In Stop_MRSA_Now@yahoogroups.com, "Mark Daniel" <littlepup5555@...> wrote:
>
> Hi my name is Mark and I go by Bigdog on most sites I post on and even
> the site where I found this site, from blogtv. I don't know any one
> close to me that has MRSA but I have a friend who has someone in her
> family that does. I joined because we need to spread the word about
> something that can change an entire family in an instant. Something
> that can rip apart a whole life. Something that needs to be stopped
> and something that is so simple to spread the word about.
>

My story is really long, so I'll just tell the Readers Digest vs. My
17 yr. old daughter had ACL surgery in Sept. and MRSA was diagnosed
when her wound opened up 8 or 9 days later. She had surgery and we
were told by the I.D. Dr. that she got it due to bad luck. She had a
PICC line and had lots of allergic reactions to the meds. She lost
20 lbs. also due to some of them making her sick. She  had swelling
with fluid leaking from her knee in Jan. We were told that it was
not infected. Knowing what we know now, we should have demanded they
culture it, but they didn't. These were the I.D. doctors that knew
she'd had MRSA. Anyway, her body fought it off for awhile and in
March, the swelling came back and we found that she has it in her
femur now. She had 2 surgeries and a 6 day hospital stay. She is
back on a PICC line and home now. She sleeps all the time, but
hobbles around pretty well when awake.

We called the hospital in Nov. to tell them we didn't think we
should have to pay the rest of our bills. The ins. co. had paid them
90% or more. The hospital administrator lied to me and said that my
daughter never had MRSA and that she checked w/I.D. dept. and they
confirmed that. I knew she was wrong but didn't want to sue.

I called the hospital last wk. to let them know that we are upset
now and ready to get an attorney (knowing that MRSA lawsuits are not
easy to win and most attorneys won't even take the cases) but that
we'd rather work with them. The patient advocate said today that
they agree that she got MRSA at their hospital. I was shocked that
they admitted it, but so far, only offering to write off their
hospital bills.

Hi my name is Mark and I go by Bigdog on most sites I post on and even
the site where I found this site, from blogtv.  I don't know any one
close to me that has MRSA but I have a friend who has someone in her
family that does.  I joined because we need to spread the word about
something that can change an entire family in an instant.  Something
that can rip apart a whole life.  Something that needs to be stopped
and something that is so simple to spread the word about.

HB1546 has been voted DO PASS by the Health Care Policy Committee of
the Missouri House of Representatives.

It has to be voted in by the House, then on to the senate.

This may be the best staph legislation to be brought forward yet in the
US.

We are hopeful....but it is not over by a long shot.  The hospital
association and nurses association are against this legislation....

To: stop_mrsa_now-owner@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Stop_MRSA_Now] Re: MRSA exposure
Date: Tue, 4 Mar 2008 20:46:50 -0500
From: kkc1234@...

Hi Dee!

Thanks so much for the information!  I have really not been able to
get any straight answers from the doctors in this area.  I was not
allowing him to go with her until we were able to get some kind of
answers.  She was also very concerned.  After reading your letter, I
spoke with his caregiver and we are going to resume his activities on
Thursday, with the understanding that she will disinfect her car,
they will not spend time at her house (at this point), and she will
wash her hands well when she arrives here.  I am also going to get my
son hand sanitizer, as you mentioned.  It would be a good practice
for him to keep in his pocket and use after leaving different places,
such as Walmart.  To be honest, I've always been a bit of a "germ
freak", but now, I'm seeing that maybe that's not such a bad thing!
LOL  Thanks again!

Kendee


--- In Stop_MRSA_Now@yahoogroups.com, "Call Me Dee" <sunshine_bc@...>
wrote:
>
> Both CA MRSA and HA MRSA are highly contagious and it's best to take
> a serious (rather than casual) approach to prevention.  Some doctors
> act like either is not a big deal ... DON'T BELIEVE THEM!
>
> Your son (and everybody else for that matter) CAN acquire MRSA
> from "casual" contact with a person with MRSA or anything they may
> have touched.  For example if the MRSA infected son gave his mom a
> hug chances are the MRSA bacteria are now on her clothes and skin.
> Also if your son is in the car he was recently in (hours) chances
are
> the MRSA bacteria are still in the car (anywhere he has touched).
>
> MRSA bacteria can live for DAYS on surfaces so I recommend that you
> explain to your son that it's VERY IMPORTANT for him to wash his
> hands FREQUENTLY -- with just plain soap and water.  DO NOT use
> antibacterial soap as that kind of soap kills BOTH the GOOD bugs and
> BAD bugs, and you want to keep as many of the GOOD bugs on your body
> as possible.  You might also want to get him a small bottle of hand
> sanitizer (like Purell) to carry around with him to use when he
> doesn't have access to soap and water so he can clean his hands.
>
> I would also suggest that you talk to your son's caregiver and
> express to her the importance of HER washing her hands frequently
too
> especially since she's the one in direct contact with the MRSA
> infected person.  It is also important for her to disenfect her car
> and home on a regular basis in an attempt to keep the surfaces where
> her MRSA infected son may have had contact with free of MRSA
> bacteria.  Usually hot water and bleach does the job so there's no
> need to go out and spend money on other products.
>
> CA MRSA can be acquired ANYWHERE from ANYONE these days.  3 out of
10
> HEALTHY people are carriers with no visible signs of having it and
if
> your son should acquire MRSA it wouldn't necessarily be from contact
> with his caregiver.  If your son has any kind of OPEN wounds you
> should ensure they are covered.  Dry hands is fine as long as there
> are no open bleeding cracks and again make sure he washes his hands
> frequently.  Handwashing is the KEY!!
>
> I hope this info helps you and your son.
>
> Dee
> Moderator
> Stop_MRSA_Now
>
> --- In Stop_MRSA_Now@yahoogroups.com, "kendeeconnor" <kkc1234@>
> wrote:
> >
> > Hi! I have a 22 year old autistic son.  He does volunteer work
with
> a
> > woman whos son was just diagnosed with Community MRSA.  Her son is
> > really bad.  He has had several procedures to drain the wound and
> is
> > to have the bone scraped this week.  I have called several doctors
> > and even the CDC, trying to get some information as to precautions
> to
> > take so that my son doesn't get it.  The woman that cares for my
> son
> > is the one that cleans and packs the wound, however, my son would
> > have no direct contact with the person that actually has MRSA.
> Could
> > my son get it from casual contact with the caretaker, from being
in
> > the same vehicle, house, etc. of the person that actually has it?
> >
> > These are the questions that I have been asking the doctors in my
> > area.  So far, I have gotten totally conflicting responses.
> Several
> > doctors felt that my son should not even be in contact with this
> boys
> > mother, several other doctors felt there was absolutely nothing to
> be
> > concerned about and that he could even be with the person who has
> it,
> > as long as my son has no open wounds.  Being winter, would this
> > include dry hands?
> >
> > Sorry this is so long, but I would appreciate any information that
> > anyone might have.  Thanks!
> >
>

Both CA MRSA and HA MRSA are highly contagious and it's best to take
a serious (rather than casual) approach to prevention.  Some doctors
act like either is not a big deal ... DON'T BELIEVE THEM!

Your son (and everybody else for that matter) CAN acquire MRSA
from "casual" contact with a person with MRSA or anything they may
have touched.  For example if the MRSA infected son gave his mom a
hug chances are the MRSA bacteria are now on her clothes and skin.
Also if your son is in the car he was recently in (hours) chances are
the MRSA bacteria are still in the car (anywhere he has touched).

MRSA bacteria can live for DAYS on surfaces so I recommend that you
explain to your son that it's VERY IMPORTANT for him to wash his
hands FREQUENTLY -- with just plain soap and water.  DO NOT use
antibacterial soap as that kind of soap kills BOTH the GOOD bugs and
BAD bugs, and you want to keep as many of the GOOD bugs on your body
as possible.  You might also want to get him a small bottle of hand
sanitizer (like Purell) to carry around with him to use when he
doesn't have access to soap and water so he can clean his hands.

I would also suggest that you talk to your son's caregiver and
express to her the importance of HER washing her hands frequently too
especially since she's the one in direct contact with the MRSA
infected person.  It is also important for her to disenfect her car
and home on a regular basis in an attempt to keep the surfaces where
her MRSA infected son may have had contact with free of MRSA
bacteria.  Usually hot water and bleach does the job so there's no
need to go out and spend money on other products.

CA MRSA can be acquired ANYWHERE from ANYONE these days.  3 out of 10
HEALTHY people are carriers with no visible signs of having it and if
your son should acquire MRSA it wouldn't necessarily be from contact
with his caregiver.  If your son has any kind of OPEN wounds you
should ensure they are covered.  Dry hands is fine as long as there
are no open bleeding cracks and again make sure he washes his hands
frequently.  Handwashing is the KEY!!

I hope this info helps you and your son.

Dee
Moderator
Stop_MRSA_Now

--- In Stop_MRSA_Now@yahoogroups.com, "kendeeconnor" <kkc1234@...>
wrote:
>
> Hi! I have a 22 year old autistic son.  He does volunteer work with
a
> woman whos son was just diagnosed with Community MRSA.  Her son is
> really bad.  He has had several procedures to drain the wound and
is
> to have the bone scraped this week.  I have called several doctors
> and even the CDC, trying to get some information as to precautions
to
> take so that my son doesn't get it.  The woman that cares for my
son
> is the one that cleans and packs the wound, however, my son would
> have no direct contact with the person that actually has MRSA.
Could
> my son get it from casual contact with the caretaker, from being in
> the same vehicle, house, etc. of the person that actually has it?
>
> These are the questions that I have been asking the doctors in my
> area.  So far, I have gotten totally conflicting responses.
Several
> doctors felt that my son should not even be in contact with this
boys
> mother, several other doctors felt there was absolutely nothing to
be
> concerned about and that he could even be with the person who has
it,
> as long as my son has no open wounds.  Being winter, would this
> include dry hands?
>
> Sorry this is so long, but I would appreciate any information that
> anyone might have.  Thanks!
>

Hi! I have a 22 year old autistic son.  He does volunteer work with a
woman whos son was just diagnosed with Community MRSA.  Her son is
really bad.  He has had several procedures to drain the wound and is
to have the bone scraped this week.  I have called several doctors
and even the CDC, trying to get some information as to precautions to
take so that my son doesn't get it.  The woman that cares for my son
is the one that cleans and packs the wound, however, my son would
have no direct contact with the person that actually has MRSA.  Could
my son get it from casual contact with the caretaker, from being in
the same vehicle, house, etc. of the person that actually has it?

These are the questions that I have been asking the doctors in my
area.  So far, I have gotten totally conflicting responses.  Several
doctors felt that my son should not even be in contact with this boys
mother, several other doctors felt there was absolutely nothing to be
concerned about and that he could even be with the person who has it,
as long as my son has no open wounds.  Being winter, would this
include dry hands?

Sorry this is so long, but I would appreciate any information that
anyone might have.  Thanks!

Hello Everyone:

I joined your group a couple of days ago so that I can inform you of a solution to keep MRSA from spreading. Below are some informative links you can go to see the testing results on many different bacterias as well as MRSA. Please let me know if you have any questions I can answer for you. I hope this information is useful.

News Report on the effectiveness for MRSA....
http://www.greenevillesun.com/site/PrintStory/278965

The Earth Times News Report Link...
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/news_press_release,213443.shtml

You Tube Testimony
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IODaeLHWXA&feature=related

Bacterial (avian bird flu, e.coli and others) testing results link... http://www.ecoquestintl.com/dlrdown/website_rci/rci_testingresults.pdf

Kansas State University Technical Study link... http://www.ecoquestintl.com/dlrdown/website_brochures/EQ_UofCinn_TestResults.pdf

I have many other documents, as well as testimonies I can share with you if you are interested in more.

Thank you for the opportunity to share this information.

Robin Pike

--- In Stop_MRSA_Now@yahoogroups.com, Nova004@... wrote:
>
> Mary, I am also working on legislation in Michigan...
> I'll pass your petition to my son who is on a base in Missouri.
>
>
>
> **************Ideas to please picky eaters. Watch video on AOL Living.
> (http://living.aol.com/video/how-to-please-your-picky-eater/rachel-campos-duffy/
> 2050827?NCID=aolcmp00300000002598)
>

Hi, I just wanted to say that there is a product called Ecobox that has
been University tested and proven to kill MRSA on surfaces. You can
look at the test results by going to www.activepure.com/rdan I hope
that you find this information of some use.

Revia

Hello Mary

I have taken a bit of a break from the group latelly because I needed
to re-energize.  Although I personally do not have MRSA (yet) I find
working on this site and reading all the links prior to posting them
very draining emotionally and mentally.

Sometimes Yahoo Groups doesn't highlight the entire links when it is
posted in the "Messages" area so I will post the link to your
petition under the "Links" area in a folder called "Petitions".

Thank you for sharing with us and welcome to the group hon.

Dee
Moderator
Stop_MRSA_Now


--- In Stop_MRSA_Now@yahoogroups.com, "crazy"
<dirtymarycrazylarry@...> wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> We recently joined this group and wanted to tell you about us.
>
> My 78 year old mother was diagnosed with vanco resistant MRSA 2
years
> ago.   She is still alive, a major miracle, she also has
parkinsonism
> with Lewy Body dementia.  The staph took a really big toll on her
> cognitive function; she is now in assisted living.
>
> My husband got staph in his incision after hand surgery last year,
> but it was not MRSA.  He took Bactrim for 6 weeks, they said staph
> was gone.  He then had a series of health problems for the next
> several months, then the staph came back as a boil so 6 more weeks
of
> Bactrim.
>
> They say he is clear now, but the side effects of the Bactrim have
> really done a number on him.  He is recovering very slowly.
>
> Now my cousin in OK has MRSA and is on Vanco; he had surgery to
> repair a shunt in his brain....
>
> Anyway, I want link to this petiition site to show support for
staph
> legislation that has been proposed in Missouri.
>
> https://secure.consumersunion.org/site/Advocacy?
>
JServSessionIdr004=3ff1fpoxe3.app43a&cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=18
> 07
>
> If anyone on the group knows someone in Missouri, pass this on.
>
> Thank you.
>
> Mary
>
https://secure.consumersunion.org/site/Advocacy?
JServSessionIdr004=3ff1fpoxe3.app43a&cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=18
07

Hi,

We recently joined this group and wanted to tell you about us.

My 78 year old mother was diagnosed with vanco resistant MRSA 2 years
ago.   She is still alive, a major miracle, she also has parkinsonism
with Lewy Body dementia.  The staph took a really big toll on her
cognitive function; she is now in assisted living.

My husband got staph in his incision after hand surgery last year,
but it was not MRSA.  He took Bactrim for 6 weeks, they said staph
was gone.  He then had a series of health problems for the next
several months, then the staph came back as a boil so 6 more weeks of
Bactrim.

They say he is clear now, but the side effects of the Bactrim have
really done a number on him.  He is recovering very slowly.

Now my cousin in OK has MRSA and is on Vanco; he had surgery to
repair a shunt in his brain....

Anyway, I want link to this petiition site to show support for staph
legislation that has been proposed in Missouri.

https://secure.consumersunion.org/site/Advocacy?
JServSessionIdr004=3ff1fpoxe3.app43a&cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=18
07

If anyone on the group knows someone in Missouri, pass this on.

Thank you.

Mary

One of the main reasons behind bacteria's swift evolution
into "superbugs" such as MRSA is the overuse of antibiotics and lack
of handwashing.

Patients visiting their doctor with a viral infection might demand,
and be given an antibiotic prescription - despite the fact that
doctors know (or should know) that ANTIBIOTICS HAVE NO EFFECT ON
VIRUSES.  Antibiotics ONLY work on bacteria so all those patients
were doing was strengthening the communities of bacteria in their
bodies.  Doctors need to stop giving out antibiotic prescriptions to
people that don't need them, even if it means getting yelled at by
the patient because by doing so they are only adding to the problem!

Apparently doctors have been told to cut down on antibiotic
prescribing.  I'm not sure who told them to do so or if there is any
guarentee that they will.  There are still many "old school" doctors
that will write out a prescription for antibiotics without giving it
a second thought.  I would suggest if your doctor suggests you need
to take antibiotics that you question him/her.  Ask him/her if you
really need to have them, talk about the drug itself and the dosage.
Can you take a less potent antibiotic?  At a lower dosage?  Tt's YOUR
body and you have every right to be sure you indeed need to be taking
them.

Hygiene is another tried and tested way of at least protecting the
most vulnerable patients from the most dangerous strains. Hand
washing between patients should be a must for doctors and nurses, or
they are simply doing more harm than good in their trips around the
wards or at their offices.  Every examining room I have even been in
has a sink.  Don't hesitate to ask your doctor to wash their hands in
front of you and as a precaution ask them to put on gloves before
they start to examine you.  Remember it's YOUR body and you have
every right to protect it.

Dee
Moderator
Stop_MRSA_Now

Doctors are very worried about what the future holds for MRSA.

The number of reports of MRSA infections rises year by year - and the
latest evidence suggests that deaths due to MRSA are increasing at a
similar rate.

Already, the spectre of a bug resistant to all antibiotics is
approaching.

VRSA, or vancomycin resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, has acquired
resistance to a drug considered the "last line of defence" when all
other antibiotics have failed.

The UK for example has already seen several cases of GISA, or
glycopeptide intermediate Staphylococcus aureus, a kind of "halfway
house" between MRSA and VRSA, which has developed a resistance to
antibiotics of the vancomycin family.

Experts are also concerned a new killer 'superbug' is emerging in the
UK , called Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) MRSA.

Not all types of Staph that make the PVL toxin are dangerous or so
difficult to treat, but PVL MRSA appears to be particularly virulent.

Cases of another bug, Clostridium difficile, are also cropping up in
UK hospitals.

It is not a "superbug", and can be treated relatively easily.
However, the bug forms spores which means it can survive for long
periods in the environment, such as on floors and around toilets, and
spread in the air.

C. difficile can cause illness when certain antibiotics disturb the
balance of 'normal' bacteria in the gut.

Rigorous cleaning with warm water and detergent is the most effective
means of removing spores from the contaminated environment and the
hands of staff, say experts.

Worryingly, infections are cropping up in healthy people in the
community, rather than among sick people in hospital.

Although new antibiotics are being developed all the time,
pessimistic experts believe it is only a matter of time at current
rates until virtually every weapon in the pharmaceutical arsenal is
nullified.

Nihilists suggest that there could come a point at which bacteria
retake the upper hand, and doctors, as in previous centuries, have no
answer to some bacterial infections.

It should be noted, they say, that humans have only had the upper
hand over bacteria for a handful of decades - we have no right to
expect that situation to last forever.

Dee
Moderator
Stop_MRSA_Now

It is a fact of life that patients are at higher than normal risk of
picking up a Staph infection on the wards.

This is for two reasons - firstly, that the population in hospitals
tends to be older, sicker and weaker than the general population,
making them more vulnerable to the infection.

Secondly, conditions in hospitals, which involve a great many people
living cheek by jowl, examined by doctors and nurses who have just
touched other patients, are the perfect environment for the
transmission of all manner of infections.

Staph infections can be dangerous in weakened patients, particularly
if they can't be cleared up quickly with antibiotic treatments.

MRSA infections can prove tough to treat because they are resistant
to treatment, making them more dangerous than a simple case of Staph.

Dee
Moderator
Stop_MRSA_Now

It's all about survival of the fittest - the basic principle of
evolution, and bacteria have been around a lot longer than us, so
they're pretty good at it.

There are countless different strains of a single type of bacteria,
and each has subtle natural genetic mutations which make it different
from the other.

In addition, bacterial genes are constantly mutating.

Some strains' genetic makeup will give them a slight advantage when
it comes to fighting off antibiotic attack.

So when weaker strains encounter antibiotics, they die, while these
naturally resistant strains may prove harder to kill.

This means that next time you encounter Staph, it is more likely to
be one which has survived an antibiotic encounter, i.e. a resistant
one.

The advice from doctors who give you antibiotics is always to finish
the entire course - advice which many of us ignore.

When you don't finish the course, there's a chance that you'll kill
most of the bugs, but not all of them - and the ones that survive are
of course likely to be those that are most resistant to antibiotics.

Over time, the bulk of the Staph strains will carry resistance genes,
and further mutations may only add to their survival ability.

Strains that manage to carry two or three resistance genes will have
extraordinary powers of resistance to antibiotics.

The reason that hospitals seem to be hotbeds for resistant MRSA is
because so many different strains are being thrown together with so
many doses of antibiotics, vastly accelerating this natural selection
process.

Dee
Moderator
Stop_MRSA Now