Summary
MRSA, or what is commonly known as an antibiotic-resistant staph infection, is much more common than people think, according to ABC News, which reported figures that claim 2 million Americans carry the bacteria without symptoms of an infection.
Original source:
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=1526776
Details
Considered a "silent epidemic" by some public health experts, antibiotic-resistant staph infections are a growing threat to public health.
The medical name for the infection is methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA.
Because it is resistant to many antibiotics, MRSA can be very difficult to treat, resulting in major infections and even death.
There are two major classifications of MRSA, depending on the route of infection: The more common one is hospital-acquired MRSA, in which patients are infected during medical treatment, and the other is community-acquired MRSA, in which patients are infected during their normal daily routines.
The bacteria enter the body wherever they can find an opening, from minor cuts to inhalation through the mouth or nose.
Testing positive for MRSA does not automatically mean that you are sick.
Around 1 percent of the population is a MRSA carrier, meaning the carrier can spread the bacteria without necessarily becoming ill.
MRSA is becoming a bigger problem both in hospitals and in the community.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently reviewed the prevalence of MRSA in intensive care units and found a dramatic increase over time.
Hospital-associated MRSA is generally more serious because it often occurs in people who have weakened immune systems because of age (very young or very old) or illness.
These patients frequently acquire MRSA infections at surgical sites, where it can spread to the bloodstream and cause damage to such organs as the lungs and heart.
The newer antibiotic vancomycin is often a current choice in treating
MRSA, but the bacteria are now showing some signs of becoming resistant to this drug too.
Bacteria generally start showing resistance fairly quickly to any medication that's designed to defeat them.
About the author: Mike Adams is an award-winning journalist and holistic nutritionist with a passion for sharing empowering information to help improve personal and planetary health He has authored more than 1,800 articles and dozens of reports, guides and interviews on natural health topics, and he is well known as the creator of popular downloadable preparedness programs on financial collapse, emergency food storage, wilderness survival and home defense skills. Adams is an independent journalist with strong ethics who does not get paid to write articles about any product or company. In 2010, Adams launched TV.NaturalNews.com, a natural health video site featuring videos on holistic health and green living. He also launched an online retailer of environmentally-friendly products (BetterLifeGoods.com) and uses a portion of its profits to help fund non-profit endeavors. He's also the founder of a well known HTML email software company whose 'Email Marketing Director' software currently runs the NaturalNews subscription database. Adams is currently the executive director of the Consumer Wellness Center, a 501(c)3 non-profit, and enjoys outdoor activities, nature photography, Pilates and martial arts training. He's also author a large number of health books offered by Truth Publishing and is the creator of numerous reference website including NaturalPedia.com and the free downloadable Honest Food Guide. His websites also include the free reference sites HerbReference.com and HealingFoodReference.com. Adams believes in free speech, free access to nutritional supplements and the innate healing ability of the human body. Known as the 'Health Ranger,' Adams' personal health statistics and mission statements are located at www.HealthRanger.org
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Wednesday, February 22, 2006
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