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Now tracking the new emerging South Africa Omicron Variant

Superbug found in Los Angeles hospitals

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waterboy View Drop Down
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    Posted: March 24 2011 at 2:55pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote waterboy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 24 2011 at 2:56pm

 

  • LOS ANGELES -- Los Angeles County health officials say a drug-resistant germ has appeared in local hospitals.

A study by the LA County Department of Public Health documented 350 cases of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae, or CRKP, between June and December of last year.

Nearly half of the infections were found in long-term acute care hospitals while 6 percent were in skilled nursing facilities.

The germ tends to strike elderly patients. It's unclear how many of the infections were fatal.

The bacterium, which is resistant to antibiotics, has been found in medical facilities across the

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Elver Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 27 2011 at 9:03pm
Read this article about illegals bringing in infectious diseases such as TB & leprosy.
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote KatrinA Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 01 2011 at 1:03am

Some of the headlines are scary: “New superbug in California,” “Superbug kills 40 percent of those exposed,” “Nursing home incubating new CRKP Superbug". Hand washing can control the Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae bug. Regardless of the danger of the bug, not all hospitals are proving compliant with hand-washing protocols that would control it.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 01 2011 at 7:43pm
KatrinA you are so correct! When my late DH was in the hospital for anything I always asked for anyone who touched him that they wash their hands.   I also brought my own lysol spray and sprayed their computer keyboard in ther room after each use. I sanitized his bed, floor, toilet, sink area, food tray, phone, side table, all chairs and anything else that he or I touched.


He never got an infection and for as many times he was in the hospital that was a Miracle!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote KatrinA Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 07 2011 at 9:02pm
I'm glad to hear that from you FluMom. Prevention is really better than cure and I always keep that in my mind.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote waterboy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 08 2011 at 6:35am
Antibiotic Superbugs CRKP & MRSA: Who's at Risk?
By Lisa Collier Cool
Apr 07, 2011

Misuse of antibiotics has led to a global health threat: the rise of dangerous—or even fatal—superbugs. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is now attacking both patients in hospitals and also in the community and a deadly new multi-drug resistant bacteria called carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae, or CRKP is now in the headlines. Last year, antibiotic resistant infections killed 25,000 people in Europe, the Guardian reports.

Unless steps are taken to address this crisis, the cures doctors have counted on to battle bacteria will soon be useless. CRKP has now been reported in 36 US states—and health officials suspect that it may also be triggering infections in the other 14 states where reporting isn’t required. High rates have been found in long-term care facilities in Los Angeles County, where the superbug was previously believed to be rare, according to a study presented earlier this month. CRKP is even scarier than MRSA because the new superbug is resistant to almost all antibiotics, while a few types of antibiotics still work on MRSA. Who’s at risk for superbugs—and what can you do to protect yourself and family members? Here’s a guide to these dangerous bacteria.

Understanding different types of bacteria.

What is antibiotic resistance?  Almost every type of bacteria has evolved and mutated to become less and less responsive to common antibiotics, largely due to overuse of these medications. Because superbugs are resistant to these drugs, they can quickly spread in hospitals and the community, causing infections that are hard or even impossible to cure. Doctors are forced to turn to more expensive and sometimes more toxic drugs of last resort. The problem is that every time antibiotics are used, some bacteria survive, giving rise to dangerous new strains like MRSA and CRKP, the CDC reports.

What are CRKP and MRSA?  Klebseiella is a common type of gram-negative bacteria that are found in our intestines (where the bugs don’t cause disease). The CRKP strain is resistant to almost all antibiotics, including carbapenems, the so-called “antibiotics of last resort.” MRSA (methacillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus) is a type of bacteria that live on the skin and can burrow deep into the body if someone has cuts or wounds, including those from surgery.

Who is at risk? CRKP and MRSA infects patients, usually the elderly—who are already ill and living in long-term healthcare facilities, such as nursing homes. People who are on ventilators, require IVs, or have undergone prolonged treatment with certain antibiotics face the greatest threat of CRKP infection. Healthy people are at very low risk for CRKP. There are 2 types of MRSA, a form that affects hospital patients, with similar risk factors to CRKP, and another even more frightening strain found in communities, attacking people of all ages who have not been in medical facilities, including athletes, weekend warriors who use locker rooms, kids in daycare centers, soldiers, and people who get tattoos. Nearly 500,000 people a year are hospitalized with MRSA.

Keeping hospital patients safe.

How likely is it to be fatal? In earlier outbreaks, 35 percent of CRKP-infected patients died, Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) reported in 2008. The death rate among those affected by the current outbreak isn’t yet known. About 19,000 deaths a year are linked to MRSA in the US and rates of the disease has rise 10-fold, with most infections found in the community.

How does it spread? Both MRSA and CRKP are mainly transmitted by person-to-person contact, such as the infected hands of a healthcare provider. They can enter the lungs through a ventilator, causing pneumonia, the bloodstream through an IV catheter, causing bloodstream infection (sepsis), or the urinary tract through a catheter, causing a urinary tract infection. Both can also cause surgical wounds to become infected. MRSA can also be spread in contact with infected items, such as sharing razors, clothing, and sports equipment. These superbugs are not spread through the air.

What are the symptoms? Since CRKP presents itself as a variety of illnesses, most commonly pneumonia, meningitis, urinary tract infections, wound (or surgical site) infections and blood infections, symptoms reflect those illnesses, most often pneumonia. MRSA typically causes boils and abscesses that resemble infected bug bites, but can also present as pneumonia or flu-like symptoms.

How are superbugs related? The only drug that still works against the CRKP is colistin, a toxic antibiotic that can damage the kidneys. Several drugs, such as vancomycin, may still work against MRSA.

What’s the best protection against superbugs? Healthcare providers are prescribing fewer antibiotics, to help prevent CRKP, MRSA and other superbugs from developing resistance to even more antibiotics. The best way to stop bacteria from spreading is simple hygiene. If someone you know is in a nursing home or hospital, make sure doctors and staff wash their hands in front of you. Also wash your own hands frequently, with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, avoid sharing personal items, and  shower after using gym equipment. The CDC has reports on Klebsiella bacteria and MRSA, discussing how to prevent their spread and has just issued a new report on preventing bloodstream infections

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Satori Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 26 2016 at 1:45pm

The superbug that doctors have been dreading just reached the U.S.


https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2016/05/26/the-superbug-that-doctors-have-been-dreading-just-reached-the-u-s/

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 26 2016 at 8:14pm
We are screwed!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dutch Josh Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 26 2016 at 9:23pm
Superstation has news on a Pennsylvania case. (story 1375). The spread of anti-biotic resistant bacteria (via meat, travel, etc) is a nightmare. https://www.superstation95.com/index.php/money/1375
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