Wednesday, March 30, 2011
"Superbug" in So. Cal.
There are reports of a drug-resistant "Superbug" spreading in the southern region of the state of California.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
MRSA in the Meat Aisle?
Meat is typically not scanned for the MRSA superbug, but it seems that practice should be implemented now, seeing as how a MRSA-type bug has been discovered in meat and livestock.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
How to Recognize MRSA Symptoms
By Chris Cornell
MRSA or Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is a bacterium which can cause infection in your body. MRSA is a rare staph infection. In fact, approximately 20-30% of healthy people are staph carriers. This bacterium is resistant to many antibiotics including penicillin. MRSA symptoms if not dealt with properly can be deadly in extreme cases. Many people mistake it for a spider bite of skin infection and tend to ignore it. So how can you recognize MRSA symptoms? Here are a few guidelines.
1. Skin Infection - look out for any skin infection which appears like a spider bite. Your skin might be irritated, itchy, red, swollen, filled with pus and very painful. This kind of infection can spread easily by skin to skin contact or by touching something that was recently touched by someone else.
2. Look out for any skin infection which might be spreading very fast. This is a good indicator of MRSA symptoms.
3. Lung Infection - Look out of lung infection symptoms which include flu like symptoms such as coughing, fever, chills, shortness of breath and pain in the extremities. Also, be on a lookout for Pneumonia as this bacterium can cause Pneumonia as well.
4. Urinary Tract Infection - Look out for symptoms of a urinary tract infection. MRSA can cause a urinary tract infection if it enters that area.
5. MRSA In The Bloodstream - Look out for symptoms of MRSA in your bloodstream. You may generally feel very lethargic or experience pain all over your body.
If you have any of these symptoms, consult a doctor immediately without delay. If you are being treated for MRSA symptoms and you do not get better or you get worse within three or four days, it is highly recommended that you see your doctor again.
At the end, I'd like to share cool website with more information on topics like mrsa symptoms and mrsa infection symptoms. Visit for more details.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Cornell
http://EzineArticles.com/?How-to-Recognize-MRSA-Symptoms&id=3483091
Friday, January 2, 2009
MRSA in Pets?
Ran across a forum where a gal was talking about a possible case of MRSA in her German Shepherd. I found it pretty interesting, so I'm mentioning it here.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
A Cure for MRSA
MRSA continues to plague hospitals, schools and communities by killing thousands of people each year. The number of hospital admissions for MRSA has significantly increased over the past decade (1000% increase since 1995). It is estimated that 53 million people carrying MRSA. This resilient bacterium is resistant to common antibiotics such as methicillin, amoxicillin, penicillin and oxacillin. It is also expected that MRSA will quickly become resistant to new antibiotics as well. Historically, MRSA has been most common among people with weak immune systems living in hospitals, nursing homes and other long-term care facilities. However, it has become a problem in healthy people, increasing the number of reported cases of community-acquired MRSA.
It has been reported that MRSA, which is now reaching beyond the walls of hospitals and nursing homes into the general community, claims more lives than AIDS in some countries. That's why products such as Honeymark's First Aid Antiseptic Lotion are being viewed as a valuable alternative to antibiotics. In addition to eradicate MRSA, Honeymark's First Aid Antiseptic Lotion also helps wounds heal faster. When treating wounds or skin ulcers, the effectiveness of Active Manuka Honey in eliminating MRSA and healing Staph infections is a positive finding that has encouraging implications for wound management and infection control.
In addition to the increase in MRSA, the need for more advanced wound care solutions is being driven by an aging population as well as the rise in diabetes and chronic vascular disorders. It is also expected that more mutated, antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria will begin to emerge in the future. Recent market research suggests an increase in the need for Manuka honey-based dressings because of their effectiveness in healing wounds as well as bacteria's inability to develop a resistance to Manuka Honey.
Even though most doctors usually prefer pharmaceuticals over natural alternatives, MRSA's ability to defeat antibiotics has left the medical industry with no choice other than to take Manuka Honey products seriously. At a time when consumers are becoming more educated on the negative health effects of synthetic pharmaceutical ingredients and gaining interest in all-natural products, Honeymark is capitalizing on the astounding health benefits of Manuka Honey. To date, there has been no reports of any negative side effects to using Manuka Honey for medical purposes.
"Manuka Honey attacks bacteria in a different manner in which antibiotics do," says Frank Buonanotte, CEO of Honeymark International. "Manuka Honey's osmotic action has to draw moisture out of the bacteria, making it impossible for them to survive. This is why MRSA and other hard-to-kill bacteria will never be able to develop a resistance to it."
For more information or to purchase Honeymark's Fist Aid Antiseptic Lotion, call 1-866-427-7329 or visit Honeymark Products.
By Frank Buonanotte
Published: 6/21/2008
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
MRSA Story from Long Ago
Here's an interesting account of a man from New York, now in his mid-30's who went through the issues of MRSA, Staph, Superbug infection way back in 1986!
I can't imagine having to go through all of the tests and diagnosis and pain so long ago when medicine was not as technologically advanced as it is today.
I can't imagine having to go through all of the tests and diagnosis and pain so long ago when medicine was not as technologically advanced as it is today.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Artificial Turf's link to MRSA and Staph Infections
One major disadvantage of playing on artificial turf is that the cuts, abrasions and burns are more severe than the same injuries sustained playing on natural grass. Reason being, the friction caused between turf and the human skin. This becomes an issue in many sports, especially Soccer, where sliding maneuvers are common and the players do not wear much in the way of protective clothing. This is how the term "turf toe" originated.
The abrasions caused by the artificial turf have been known to cause a higher incidence of Staph and MSRA infections.
The abrasions caused by the artificial turf have been known to cause a higher incidence of Staph and MSRA infections.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Bug Bites and Staph Infections
Click here for an account of a bug bite and staph infection from DeDe in Georgia on a Spider Bite website.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
The Risks of Contracting MRSA During Traditional or Permanent Cosmetic Tattooing
by: Terry Lively
There is a slight risk of MRSA with permanent cosmetics (cosmetic tattooing) and traditional tattooing, but it is a highly unlikely complication if the rigorous standards of hygiene required by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are adhered to.
MRSA is a staph infection, correctly named Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (staph), and is caused by the Staphylococcus aureus bacterium. Such bacteria can mutate in response to antibiotics, which is why antibiotics such as the various types of penicillin, should not be used excessively. MRSA developed in the early1960s as a strain of staph that resisted the antibiotic agents commonly used to treat it, and was amongst the first of the so-called ‘superbugs’ that could resist all but the strongest drugs.
It is interesting to note that about 30% of people carry the staph bacteria in their nose or on their skin. The bacteria have not made them ill, but are using such people as hosts on whom they cause no ill effects. It is possible, however, for such hosts to pass the bacteria on to others. Ordinary staphylococcus infections are passed on through cuts and grazes, and also by tattooing with unsterilized needles, or tattooing done in unclean environments. Our immune systems usually defeat the bacteria, however, with those whose immune systems have been weakened, such as the elderly, AIDs victims or those on anti-cancer treatment, these can cause serious infections.
About 10 years ago, MRSA began to appear in the general population, and is now referred to as CA-MRSA, or Community Acquired MRSA that can cause serious infections of the skin and of soft tissues, and it can also cause a serious form of pneumonia. Hospital Acquired, or HA-MRSA, is contracted during hospitalization, especially by those with a weakened immune system or suffering from burns or with surgical wounds. Long term care facilities are also prone to HA-MRSA as are those patients recently subjected to invasive procedures such as gastric tubes, catheterization or even by regular or cosmetic tattooing. The elderly are particularly susceptible.
There are two ways in which you can catch MRSA. The first is by contact with somebody who has the disease themselves or from a carrier (30% of population). Even skin contact can pass it on. The second is by touching any object that has been touched by a carrier or infected person, such as door handles, towels, faucets, furniture – in fact anything at all that has not been properly cleaned.
Since about a third of the population are carriers, it is little wonder that those ill in hospital are particularly prone to it since relatively few hospital visitors employ standards of personal hygiene necessary to control it. Frequent washing of hands with antiseptic or alcohol based sanitizers is one of the best defenses against MRSA (your own hands and also those of visitors, nurses and doctors), and you should also keep your personal items to yourself. Do not share razors, towels, etc., and in hospitals all equipment should be properly wiped down with hospital grade disinfectants, or sterilized in the case of surgical instruments.
MRSA first appears as small pimples that rapidly grow and develop into ulcers, boils, abscesses and carbuncles in which the skin has several ruptures leading to a pus filled cavity below. So how can it be treated if it is resistant to antibiotics? Well, luckily, it is not resistant (yet) to all antibiotics.
Linezoloid and vancomycin can still be used to kill them off, and some colonies of the nose and other mucous membranes can be killed off using a mupirocin antibiotic cream. It is generally best to test the actual bacteria that are infecting an individual to determine the most effective agent available, because they mutate so quickly that what worked last month might not this month.
It is also of critical importance to finish off any treatment given to you. Much of the resistance to antibiotics is due to a patient feeling better part of the way through their antibiotic course, and not finishing it. Although they feel better, the bacteria have not all been killed off and those remaining can develop a resistance against the type of antibiotic that it has been treated with. If you complete the course, none will survive to mutate.
So where do the various forms of tattooing figure in all of this? It has already been implied that MRSA can be contracted during tattooing, as it can during any technique that involves breaking the skin. However, just as injections and inoculations do not normally cause MRSA, neither does tattooing. The risk is exceptionally low if the correct standards of hygiene are employed, and if they are then you are many times less likely to contract MRSA through cosmetic tattooing than through a visit to your dentist or a hospital.
You are more likely to contract the disease through burns and scarring, than through the technique used to permanently hide them with cosmetic tattooing camouflage. The clothing and working environment employed in tattooing establishments are usually controlled by the local and state departments of health, as are the sterilization procedures for the instruments used. New needles must be used on each client, and they should also be sterilized before use. All other equipment used should also be sterilized, and disposable parts, such as the needles, should be disposed of safely after use.
Such premises should be licensed and regularly checked to ensure that the proper standards are being adhered to and that, for example, all technicians are wearing a new pair of gloves and other personal protective equipment for each client. The technician should be wearing clean clothing, and all other environmental aspects of the clinic that can pass on infections should be regularly cleaned with a disinfectant such as bleach. So question and keep an eye on your tattooist, and if these procedures are being followed, then you can feel safe from catching MRSA, or any blood borne pathogens such as hepatitis or AIDS, while undergoing traditional or cosmetic tattooing, also known as permanent cosmetic makeup.
About The Author
Terry Lively is a licensed skin care and makeup artist in the State of Texas. She has been involved in permanent cosmetics and traditional tattooing for 10 years. She is an OSHA authorized outreach trainer and teaches 10 and 30 hour classes in general industry safety, with a focus on blood borne pathogens. Learn more about Terry at http://www.permanent-cosmetics-training.com
There is a slight risk of MRSA with permanent cosmetics (cosmetic tattooing) and traditional tattooing, but it is a highly unlikely complication if the rigorous standards of hygiene required by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are adhered to.
MRSA is a staph infection, correctly named Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (staph), and is caused by the Staphylococcus aureus bacterium. Such bacteria can mutate in response to antibiotics, which is why antibiotics such as the various types of penicillin, should not be used excessively. MRSA developed in the early1960s as a strain of staph that resisted the antibiotic agents commonly used to treat it, and was amongst the first of the so-called ‘superbugs’ that could resist all but the strongest drugs.
It is interesting to note that about 30% of people carry the staph bacteria in their nose or on their skin. The bacteria have not made them ill, but are using such people as hosts on whom they cause no ill effects. It is possible, however, for such hosts to pass the bacteria on to others. Ordinary staphylococcus infections are passed on through cuts and grazes, and also by tattooing with unsterilized needles, or tattooing done in unclean environments. Our immune systems usually defeat the bacteria, however, with those whose immune systems have been weakened, such as the elderly, AIDs victims or those on anti-cancer treatment, these can cause serious infections.
About 10 years ago, MRSA began to appear in the general population, and is now referred to as CA-MRSA, or Community Acquired MRSA that can cause serious infections of the skin and of soft tissues, and it can also cause a serious form of pneumonia. Hospital Acquired, or HA-MRSA, is contracted during hospitalization, especially by those with a weakened immune system or suffering from burns or with surgical wounds. Long term care facilities are also prone to HA-MRSA as are those patients recently subjected to invasive procedures such as gastric tubes, catheterization or even by regular or cosmetic tattooing. The elderly are particularly susceptible.
There are two ways in which you can catch MRSA. The first is by contact with somebody who has the disease themselves or from a carrier (30% of population). Even skin contact can pass it on. The second is by touching any object that has been touched by a carrier or infected person, such as door handles, towels, faucets, furniture – in fact anything at all that has not been properly cleaned.
Since about a third of the population are carriers, it is little wonder that those ill in hospital are particularly prone to it since relatively few hospital visitors employ standards of personal hygiene necessary to control it. Frequent washing of hands with antiseptic or alcohol based sanitizers is one of the best defenses against MRSA (your own hands and also those of visitors, nurses and doctors), and you should also keep your personal items to yourself. Do not share razors, towels, etc., and in hospitals all equipment should be properly wiped down with hospital grade disinfectants, or sterilized in the case of surgical instruments.
MRSA first appears as small pimples that rapidly grow and develop into ulcers, boils, abscesses and carbuncles in which the skin has several ruptures leading to a pus filled cavity below. So how can it be treated if it is resistant to antibiotics? Well, luckily, it is not resistant (yet) to all antibiotics.
Linezoloid and vancomycin can still be used to kill them off, and some colonies of the nose and other mucous membranes can be killed off using a mupirocin antibiotic cream. It is generally best to test the actual bacteria that are infecting an individual to determine the most effective agent available, because they mutate so quickly that what worked last month might not this month.
It is also of critical importance to finish off any treatment given to you. Much of the resistance to antibiotics is due to a patient feeling better part of the way through their antibiotic course, and not finishing it. Although they feel better, the bacteria have not all been killed off and those remaining can develop a resistance against the type of antibiotic that it has been treated with. If you complete the course, none will survive to mutate.
So where do the various forms of tattooing figure in all of this? It has already been implied that MRSA can be contracted during tattooing, as it can during any technique that involves breaking the skin. However, just as injections and inoculations do not normally cause MRSA, neither does tattooing. The risk is exceptionally low if the correct standards of hygiene are employed, and if they are then you are many times less likely to contract MRSA through cosmetic tattooing than through a visit to your dentist or a hospital.
You are more likely to contract the disease through burns and scarring, than through the technique used to permanently hide them with cosmetic tattooing camouflage. The clothing and working environment employed in tattooing establishments are usually controlled by the local and state departments of health, as are the sterilization procedures for the instruments used. New needles must be used on each client, and they should also be sterilized before use. All other equipment used should also be sterilized, and disposable parts, such as the needles, should be disposed of safely after use.
Such premises should be licensed and regularly checked to ensure that the proper standards are being adhered to and that, for example, all technicians are wearing a new pair of gloves and other personal protective equipment for each client. The technician should be wearing clean clothing, and all other environmental aspects of the clinic that can pass on infections should be regularly cleaned with a disinfectant such as bleach. So question and keep an eye on your tattooist, and if these procedures are being followed, then you can feel safe from catching MRSA, or any blood borne pathogens such as hepatitis or AIDS, while undergoing traditional or cosmetic tattooing, also known as permanent cosmetic makeup.
About The Author
Terry Lively is a licensed skin care and makeup artist in the State of Texas. She has been involved in permanent cosmetics and traditional tattooing for 10 years. She is an OSHA authorized outreach trainer and teaches 10 and 30 hour classes in general industry safety, with a focus on blood borne pathogens. Learn more about Terry at http://www.permanent-cosmetics-training.com
Office Reopens After Staph Infection
I believe the District 1 Hyattsville, Maryland station is open once again after being shut down temporarily due to staph infection. Three officers had contracted a staph infection. Click this link for the backstory.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Staph Diary Entries
Laura wrote about her staph-infected finger in a recent diary entry. The other diaries can be found there as well so you can track her progress.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Update on Laura's finger - it's MRSA
Laura's been told that it's MRSA. Click here to see an updated picture of her staph-infected finger.
Friday, January 11, 2008
Laura Cain's Staph Adventure
Laura Cain of the morning radio show at Star FM in San Diego had a little cut on her finger, and she kept picking at it and it got bigger and bigger. Turned out to be a staph infection. Click here for the photo.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
New Test Identifies MRSA Bacterium in Two Hours
Click Here to read the press release from the FDA about a new, quick blood test for detecting MRSA.
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
MRSA Could Surpass AIDS Death Toll
Experts say that drug-restistant Staph deaths may even surpass the AIDS death toll. Click Here to read the article.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
MRSA and Staph Infection Segment on 60 Minutes
Check the 60 Minutes web site. On tonight's episode, they ran a great segment on MRSA and Staph infections, including some great interviews with leading researchers.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
We Learn About MRSA
By David C. Brown
I instruct an introductory class in teaching all-levels physical education. This class is for college graduates trying to attain teaching certification in the state of Texas. During our class, one of the fellows who all ready is coaching and teaching in Louisiana, told the class about a knee injury his son had received during football. The knee was swollen and included pain to the touch. The coach continued to explain his plans to take him to the orthopedic doctor the next day. Coach's son is an outstanding athlete with collegiate playing aspirations, so Coach was understandably worried over the injury.
The other classmates and I expressed our concern and verbally stated we hoped the injury would not be serious and require surgery. I did not hear from Coach until the next week at class. We were anxious to learn about the coach's son's knee injury. We were shocked as Coach unfolded the story of what had happened to his son the very night of our last class!
When Coach had returned home, his son was running fever and was in a lot of pain. His knee was terribly swollen! Coach and his wife rushed their son to the emergency room at the local hospital. What we heard next was awful, but intensely interesting.
Coach's son did not have a torn ligament in his knee! He had contracted a MRSA infection! The official name of this infection is methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and is caused by Staphylococcus aureus bacteria often called "staph" infection. It is one of the first germs to out smart all but the most powerful drugs. This MRSA infection can kill you. This is extremely serious!
The boy received the proper treatment and was told he should recover completely if he took proper care of this infection. The infection had localized in his knee and had caused signs which appeared as an actual knee injury. This is what happens with MRSA.
MRSA can quickly burrow into the body and can give live threatening infections in bones, joints, blood stream, surgical wounds, and heart and valves. The areas infected may look like a spider bite, a pimple or boil. Deadly, is it not?
You should know some warning signs of MRSA. Athletes and coaches actively involved in sports, from weight lifting to football, need to be aware of the risk factors.
When participating in contact sports, the bacteria can spread mercurially through cuts, abrasions and contact with other athletes' skin. Sharing such items as uniforms, razors, towels and other equipment has allowed the bacteria to spread. Unsanitary gym conditions are also a breeding ground for the bacteria Keep locker rooms, equipment and showers disinfected! Please Sanitize, Sanitize, Sanitize!
Thank you Coach for your openness and information about your son's MRSA infection. More players on the team have now been diagnosed with MRSA. If coaches are not vigilant, MRSA can infect an entire team. Use preventive measures by finding out the best ways to prevent MRSA and then taking the necessary action to prevent a breakout of this dangerous infection.
In my class, we are also fortunate to have a certified athletic trainer. During our MRSA discussion, she did a thorough job of teaching us about MRSA and what to do to prevent the bacteria from rampaging through a locker room as well as what to do if an athlete is already infected. Thanks for the help!
David C. Brown holds a Master of Education from Texas A@M University in College Station, Texas and a Bachelor of Science in Education from Midwestern State in Wichita Falls, Texas. You may read David's blogs at http://www.sportsjock.mobi and http://musclebuilding-supplements.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_C._Brown
http://EzineArticles.com/?We-Learn-About-MRSA&id=732860
What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger: The Overuse of Antibiotics
By Christina Jones
MRSA is an acronym for Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus. But what does this mean? When you break it down, you can see. Starting from the second half of the name, Staphylococcus aureus (or S. aureus) is the scientific name (Genus, species) for a spherical shaped bacteria that is prevalent everywhere, on everyone's body. There is an extremely good article at the Textbook of Bacteriology website that explains the biological characteristics of the bacteria. Methicillin is "a semi synthetic penicillin-related antibiotic, also known as Staphcillin, that once was effective against staphylococci (staph) resistant to penicillin because they produce the enzyme penicillinase (quoted from MedicineNet.com)." Resistant means "Having the capacity to withstand: immune, impervious, insusceptible, proof, resistive, unsusceptible (quoted from Answers.com)." MedicineNet.com goes on to explain Methicillin Resistance: "Rarely used now, Methicillin has been largely superseded by Vancomycin. Over the past 50 years, staph bacteria have become resistant to various antibiotics, including the commonly used penicillin-related antibiotics, including Methicillin. These resistant bacteria are called Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA."
Ok, so what does all of this technical terminology really mean? Antibiotic resistance of any sort boils down to the old saying, "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." I had it explained to me by my Aunt Sharon, who has been an RN nearly her whole life, when my husband was sick. When you clean your house, and you use antibacterial products, Lysol, for instance, there is inevitably some bacteria left behind. For instance, if you are wiping down your kitchen, it is impossible to keep every single bacteria on your dishcloth, and off of your countertop. When you are finished, and the kitchen looks clean, you have left behind some bacteria, in the little swipe of water that is left on the countertop, or the side of the cabinet that you touched the dishcloth with as you were taking the cloth back to the sink, or the bacteria that you just pushed to the back of the counter, but did not remove. Of that bacteria, some are bound to have survived the Lysol. Maybe you missed a spot, or maybe the bacteria were just lightly touched by the Lysol. This bacteria is now microscopically laughing at you, saying "Ha ha! You missed me!" This bacteria is now a little tougher, because it survived Lysol, and maybe the next night, when you clean your kitchen again, the same thing happens, except maybe you got him good with the Lysol, and he still survived it. This bacteria can now be considered Lysol-resistant.
Take that example and think about it. Think about washing your hands and body, using antibacterial soap. When you wash your hands after using the bathroom, you grab a quick squirt of antibacterial soap, haphazardly rub it on your hands, foam it up a little, rinse it off, and then you are finished. Most of us who have been through and are familiar with MRSA use a lot better technique than this now, but the rest of the world pretty much does it just like that. Can you imagine what happens to the bacteria on your hands now? You are left with bacteria that is resistant to your antibacterial soap. Oops. Then you go outside, see your neighbor, and shake hands with him. Oops again, now your neighbor has been introduced to your antibacterial soap-resistant bacteria. My aunt told me that she has never used Lysol, or antibacterial soap in her house. We all cringe at the thought of that now, including me, but there is something very important in there somewhere.
Back when our parents were children, somehow they survived without antibacterial soaps. Our world is full of antibacterial-everything now. Plastic toys are made with antibacterials, and even the grocery stores now have antibacterial wipes when you walk in to get a shopping cart so you can wipe down any bacteria on them. This sounds like a great preventative idea, but can you see where the problems lie? I don't know where we go from here, really. When you look at this situation, it seems very bleak, it is a never-ending circle, a catch-22.
So this brings us to the bacteria inside of our bodies. We have all heard over and over, so much that we ourselves have become resistant to the advice: Take all of your antibiotics, until the bottle is gone, even if you are feeling better. I know I am guilty of not taking all of my antibiotics in the past. Are you? Probably. I don't do it anymore though. Using the kitchen example above, you can see what an incomplete course of antibiotics do to the bacteria in your body. What doesn't kill them, makes them stronger.
Another huge problem in creating antibiotic resistance is with people going to the doctor with a virus, and insisting upon a round of antibiotics. Antibiotics are not going to kill a virus. They never have, and they never will. A virus is a completely different organism than a bacterium. Antibiotics kill bacteria, not virii. A virus can make you very sick, but it must run its course, and then it will leave. Occasionally a virus can cause a secondary bacterial infection, such as an ear infection or a sinus infection, and it is at that point, when your doctor has determined that you have a bacterial infection, that antibiotics are required. I know that when you are sick, or your children are sick, that you have the need to do what you can do to help make yourself or your children better. But please, listen to your doctor, and do not insist that they give you antibiotics. Trust your doctors advice, for the health and well-being of your whole community. And doctors, please, do not let your patients bully you into giving them an antibiotic when you know they do not have a bacterial infection. This is wrong, and only you can stop this from happening.
Christina Jones maintains the web sites and community at http://www.mrsaresources.com/ and http://www.superbugwiki.com/ for education and support of MRSA (Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus) patients and provides resources to the community to raise awareness.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Christina_Jones
http://EzineArticles.com/?What-Doesnt-Kill-You-Makes-You-Stronger:-The-Overuse-of-Antibiotics&id=116643
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Treatment of Acute and Chronical Bacterial Prostatitis Caused by Staphylococcus Epidermidis
27th August 2005
Author: Dan Pop
Staphylococcus epidermidis is normally resident in the skin flora, the gut and upper respiratory tract. It is a true opportunistic pathogen, normally requiring a major breach in the host's defence to establish infection.Previously considered solely as the laboratory contaminants and normal flora of skin in man, coagulase negative Staphylococci are now a major cause of nosocomial and opportunistic infections.
Adherence to a foreign surface is facilitated by the production of a viscous extracellular slime (proteoglycans). Staph. epidermidis is coagulase - negative (1).
Phagocytosis is the major host - defence mechanism for combatting staphylococcal infection. Antibodies are produced which neutralize toxins and promote opsonization. However, the bacterial capsule and protein A may interfere with phagocytosis. Biofilm formation and growth is also impervious to phagocytosis.
Infections acquired outside hospitals can usually be treated with penicillinase-resistant ߭lactams. Hospital acquired infection is often caused by antibiotic resistant strains and can only be treated with vancomycin.
Treatment of prostatitis is challenging in general, because many antimicrobial agents do not effectively diffuse into prostatic tissue. The relapsing nature of bacterial prostatitis is in part due to the ductal anatomy of the peripheral zone of the prostate. The anatomy of the ductal system prevents dependent drainage of secretions. Ductal fibrosis and prostatic calculi, if present, further inhibit the drainage of secretions.
E coli accounts for 80% of cases of chronic bacterial prostatitis. The other members of the Enterobacteriaceae family, Klebsiella species, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Proteus species also are known pathogens.
Chlamydia trachomatis has also been implicated as a cause of chronic bacterial prostatitis. However, we consider that this organism is unlikely to play a major role in the etiology of chronic bacterial prostatitis, being a pathogen confined to the urethra.
The role of the gram-positive organisms Staphylococcus epidermitis and Staphylococcus saprophyticus is still controversial and a matter of dispute. According to some authors these organisms typically may colonize the anterior urethra.
The mainstay for treatment of chronic bacterial prostatitis is the use of oral antimicrobial agents. So far, the most effective medications for the treatment of chronic prostatitis were the fluoroquinolones and TMP-SMZ (trimethoprim-sulfomethoxazol). However these drugs are not effective against Staphylococcus Epidermidis. All other oral agents are unlikely to eradicate the pathogenic bacteria successfully within the prostate, because of suboptimal tissue penetration. Longer courses of antibiotic use are associated with better treatment outcomes. Relapse is not uncommon.
In an excellent article of Jukka Hyvarinen et al. (2), 570 Staphylococcus spp. isolates were tested for susceptibility to oxacillin and 19 other antimicrobial agents. Of the 238 Staphylococcus Epidermidis isolates, 58 % were identified as methicillin - resistant in vitro . Of the 332 Staphylococcus aureus isolates only 1 (0,3%) was phenotypically resistant to methicillin.The percentage (%) of Staphylococcus Epidermidis isolates resistant to the 20 tested antibiotics was : Oxacillin (58%) , Penicillin (82 %), Amoxicillin/ClavulanicAcid (34 %), Cephalothin (4 %),Cefuroxime (31%), Cefotaxime (20%), Imipenem (46%) , Gentamicin (46 %) , Tobramycin (57%) , Netilmicin (16 %), Ciprofloxacin(23 %), Ofloxacin (21%), Erythromycin (36%), Fusidic Acid ( 27% ) , Clindamycin (34 %), Cloramphenicol (19 %), Rifampin (4 %), Vancomycin ( 0 % ) , Co-trimoxazole(62%), Trimethoprim (53%) ; From this data we conclude that only vancomycin and to some extent rifampin and cephalothin are suitable for the treatment of bacterial prostatitis caused by Staphyloccocus epidermidis. However, rifampin cannot be used as monotherapy since microbial resistance to it seems to develop rapidly.
Vancomycin is recognized as one of the most potent antistaphylococcal drugs available. It is the drug-of-choice in the treatment of serious methicillin-resistant Staph. aureus infections. Vancomycin interferes with peptidoglycan biosynthesis in multiplying organisms and is bactericidal. It is also the preferred therapy for Clostridium difficile (antibiotic-associated) colitis. Vancomycin interferes with peptidoglycan biosynthesis in multiplying organisms and is bactericidal.
Vancomycin is supplied as the hydrochloride salt and isavailable in 500-mg ampuls. Vancomycin is usually administered intravenously or orally. I.V. vancomycin should be administered slowly (over 30--60 min) and in an adequate volume (100--250 ml) of 5% dextrose injection. Usual adult dose is 500 mg every six hours or 1 g every 12 hours. Vancomycin is almost completely eliminated through the kidneys. Mean vancomycin concentrations in the presence of inflamed meninges, pleural fluid, pericardial fluid, ascitic fluid, synovial fluid, and bile are approximately 15% of the serum concentrations, and this value may be probably recorded also in the prostate.
The various treatments of bacterial prostatitis caused by Staphylococcus epidermidis , which we consider a true pathogen , when found in the prostate or in the seminal fluid , are presented below:
Methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus Epidermidis strains should be treated with (3) :
1. oxacillin/nafcillin 1.5-3 gm IV 6h,
or
2. cefazolin 1-2 gm IV q 8h,
or
3. clindamicin 600 mg IV q 8h,
Methicillin resistance is equivalent to resistance to oxacillin and nafcillin, which are commonly used and extremely effective anti-staph drugs, in fact they are the drugs of choice.
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Epidermidis (MRSE) strains (3) should be treated with vancomycin with or without rifampin.
The Standard treatment for Staphylococcus Epidermidis deep infection is (3) :
Vancomycin IV q 12 h +/- Rifampin 3- bid IV/PO +/- Gentamicin 3-5 mg/kg/d IV
Vancomycin + Methicillin-resistant (VRSE / MRSE) strains of Staphylococcus Epidermidis should be treated with (3) :
1. Linezolid (Zyvox) 600 mg IV/PO bid + Rifampin +/or Gentamicin
or with
2. Daptomycin IV 4 mg/kg/d + Rifampin +/or Gentamicin.
3. Quinupristin / Dalfopristin (Synercid)
The existence of mixed species biofilms of Candida albicans and Staphylococcus epidermidis have also been reported (4). Biofilms are notoriously difficult to eliminate and are a source of recalcitrant infections. The novel lipid formulation of amphotericin and the echinocandins (caspofungin, micafungin) have demonstrated unique antifungal activity against Candida biofilms (5).
In a Japanese laboratory and clinical study on 11 patients (6) , Sulbactam/cefoperazone (SBT/CPZ) exhibited 8 fold or more potent antimicrobial activity than cefoperazone against beta-lactamase producing E. coli and coagulase-negative staphylococci (Staphylococcus Epidermidis).
Staphylococcus saprophyticus has also been shown to be an important pathogen in prostatic infections (7). Thirty-five isolates from 27 patients with staphylococci in the prostatic fluid of men with bacterial prostatitis were evaluated for the presence of S. saprophyticus. Three patients (11 per cent) with this organism were identified by novobiocin resistance (disk diffusion test), absence of hemolysis, and coagulase. These patients tended to be younger, more symptomatic, and more responsive to appropriate antibiotic therapy than those with staphylococcus epidermidis.
So far a vaccine against Staphylococcus Aureus has been developed by Nabi Biopharmaceuticals (8) for patients who are at high risk of S. aureus infections and who are able to respond to a vaccine by producing their own antibodies. StaphVAX? (Staphylococcus aureus Polysaccharide Conjugate Vaccine) is an investigational polysaccharide conjugate vaccine that presents a novel approach to the prevention of S. aureus infections. StaphVAX is intended to stimulate a patient's immune system to produce antibodies to S. aureus that provide active, long-term protection from the bacteria. StaphVAX targets S. aureus types 5 and 8, which are responsible for approximately 85 percent of S. aureus infections.
Altastaph? [Staphylococcus aureus Immune Globulin Intravenous (Human)] is an investigational human antibody-based product containing high levels of antibodies to capsular polysaccharides (protective outer sugar coatings on S. aureus bacteria) from S. aureus types 5 and 8, which together account for approximately 85 percent of all S. aureus infections. These antibodies are the same antibodies that are developed in patients who are vaccinated with StaphVAX?), Nabi Biopharmaceuticals' investigational vaccine to prevent S. aureus infections, and, indeed, Altastaph is produced by vaccinating healthy volunteers with StaphVAX, and then harvest the anti-staphylococcus antibodies.
Nabi Biopharmaceuticals is focused on developing a broad portfolio of vaccines and antibody-based therapies that target Gram-positive bacteria, most notably S. aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Enterococcus. These bacteria are the leading causes of serious hospital-acquired infections.
EpiVAX? (Staphylococcus epidermidis Conjugate Vaccine) is an investigational vaccine in preclinical development for the prevention of S. epidermidis infections (8). EnteroVAX? (Enterococcus faecalis Conjugate Vaccine) is an investigational vaccine also in preclinical development for the prevention of enterococcal infections (8) . Both EpiVAX and EnteroVAX have been shown to induce antibodies that are protective in animal models and facilitate elimination of bacteria by the same type of immune system response as StaphVAX (8).
EpiVAX? (Staphylococcus epidermidis Conjugate Vaccine) will probably be used both as a vaccine in order to prevent S. epidermidis infections, and as a potential therapeutic vaccine to be administrated before onset of antibiotherapy.
The objective of a recent article of John (9) was to determine the in vitro susceptibilities of a large series of speciated coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) against three new antibiotics, linezolid, quinupristin/dalfopristin and telithromycin. Resistance to linezolid was not observed in any isolates, although MIC90 values varied between species. Fifteen of 658 (2.3%) isolates were resistant to quinupristin/dalfopristin, but < 1% of the clinically most important isolates of Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus haemolyticus and Staphylococcus hominis demonstrated resistance to this agent. Telithromycin was the least active of the new agents tested, showing activity similar to that of clindamycin. Susceptibility and resistance to clindamycin were predictive of susceptibility and resistance to telithromycin. Resistance to clindamycin did not predict quinupristin/dalfopristin resistance.
Quinupristin/dalfopristin and linezolid show good activity against both mecA-positive and -negative CNS.
Quinupristin-dalfopristin(10) also appeared to be an efficient and safe antimicrobial drug for the rescue treatment of staphylococcal infections in critically ill patients. It may be considered as a treatment option in cases of vancomycin treatment failure. Patients received, intravenously, quinupristin-dalfopristin (Q-D) 7.5 mg/kg body weight 3 times daily. The duration of Q-D therapy averaged 11.8 days (range: 1-26 days)(10).
Conclusions : Prostatitis caused by Staphylococcus Epidermidis and/or by other coagulase - negative staphylococci should not be neglected or left untreated, since some potential treatments for this infection of the prostate exist and are available. Newly introduced or experimental drugs, such as streptogramins (quinupristin-dalfopristin), oxazolidinones (linezolid), carbapenems (LY 333328 i.e. Oritavancin )(11), everninomicins (SCH 27899) (12) , and glycylcyclines ( tigecycline i.e. GAR-936 )(11), could be useful for therapy of infections caused by multiresistant staphylococci in general and for the treatment of Staphylococcus Epidermidis caused prostatitis in particular.
References :
1. Staphylococcus Summary : http://www.life.umd.edu/classroom/bsci424/PathogenDescriptions/Staphylococcus.htm
2. Jukka Hyvarinen et al. , Multiresistance in Staphylococcus spp. blood isolates in Finland with special reference to the distribution of the mecA gene among the Staphylococcus Epidermidis isolates , APMIS , 103 : 885-891, 1995;
3. Antibiotic Guide , Johns Hopkins Point of Care, http://hopkins-abxguide.org/ , abxfeedback@hopkinsabxguide.org ;
4. Adam B, Baillie GS, Douglas LJ, Mixed species biofilms of Candida albicans and
Staphylococcus epidermidis , J. Med. Microbiol. , 2002 , 51: 344-9;
5. Mary Ann Jabra-Rizk , Fungal Biofilms and Drug Resistance, Emerging Infectious Diseases, Vol.10,No. 1, January 2004 ;
6. Suzuki K, Horiba M., Laboratory and clinical study of sulbactam/cefoperazone (SBT/CPZ) on bacterial prostatitis, Hinyokika Kiyo. 1991 Oct;37(10):1333-43.
7. Carson CC, McGraw VD, Zwadyk P , Bacterial prostatitis caused by Staphylococcus saprophyticus. Urology. 1982 Jun;19(6):576-8.
8. http://www.nabi.com/ , Nabi Biopharmaceuticals web-site, EpiVAX? (Staphylococcus epidermidis Conjugate Vaccine)
9. John MA, Pletch C, Hussain Z., In vitro activity of quinupristin/dalfopristin, linezolid, telithromycin and comparator antimicrobial agents against 13 species of coagulase-negative staphylococci. J Antimicrob Chemother. 2002 Dec;50(6):933-8.
10. Sander A, Beiderlinden M, Schmid EN, Peters J. Clinical experience with quinupristin-dalfopristin as rescue treatment of critically ill patients infected with methicillin-resistant staphylococci.Intensive Care Med. 2002 Aug;28(8):1157-60. Epub 2002 Jun 20. (andreas.sander@ejk.de)
11. Guay DR. Oritavancin and tigecycline: investigational antimicrobials for multidrug-resistant bacteria. Pharmacotherapy. 2004 Jan;24(1):58-68. (guayx001@tc.umn.edu)
12. Nakashio S, Iwasawa H, Dun FY, Kanemitsu K, Shimada J. Everninomicin, a new oligosaccharide antibiotic: its antimicrobial activity, post-antibiotic effect and synergistic bactericidal activity. Drugs Exp Clin Res. 1995;21(1):7-16.
This article is free for republishing
Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_6698_23.html
Author: Dan Pop
Staphylococcus epidermidis is normally resident in the skin flora, the gut and upper respiratory tract. It is a true opportunistic pathogen, normally requiring a major breach in the host's defence to establish infection.Previously considered solely as the laboratory contaminants and normal flora of skin in man, coagulase negative Staphylococci are now a major cause of nosocomial and opportunistic infections.
Adherence to a foreign surface is facilitated by the production of a viscous extracellular slime (proteoglycans). Staph. epidermidis is coagulase - negative (1).
Phagocytosis is the major host - defence mechanism for combatting staphylococcal infection. Antibodies are produced which neutralize toxins and promote opsonization. However, the bacterial capsule and protein A may interfere with phagocytosis. Biofilm formation and growth is also impervious to phagocytosis.
Infections acquired outside hospitals can usually be treated with penicillinase-resistant ߭lactams. Hospital acquired infection is often caused by antibiotic resistant strains and can only be treated with vancomycin.
Treatment of prostatitis is challenging in general, because many antimicrobial agents do not effectively diffuse into prostatic tissue. The relapsing nature of bacterial prostatitis is in part due to the ductal anatomy of the peripheral zone of the prostate. The anatomy of the ductal system prevents dependent drainage of secretions. Ductal fibrosis and prostatic calculi, if present, further inhibit the drainage of secretions.
E coli accounts for 80% of cases of chronic bacterial prostatitis. The other members of the Enterobacteriaceae family, Klebsiella species, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Proteus species also are known pathogens.
Chlamydia trachomatis has also been implicated as a cause of chronic bacterial prostatitis. However, we consider that this organism is unlikely to play a major role in the etiology of chronic bacterial prostatitis, being a pathogen confined to the urethra.
The role of the gram-positive organisms Staphylococcus epidermitis and Staphylococcus saprophyticus is still controversial and a matter of dispute. According to some authors these organisms typically may colonize the anterior urethra.
The mainstay for treatment of chronic bacterial prostatitis is the use of oral antimicrobial agents. So far, the most effective medications for the treatment of chronic prostatitis were the fluoroquinolones and TMP-SMZ (trimethoprim-sulfomethoxazol). However these drugs are not effective against Staphylococcus Epidermidis. All other oral agents are unlikely to eradicate the pathogenic bacteria successfully within the prostate, because of suboptimal tissue penetration. Longer courses of antibiotic use are associated with better treatment outcomes. Relapse is not uncommon.
In an excellent article of Jukka Hyvarinen et al. (2), 570 Staphylococcus spp. isolates were tested for susceptibility to oxacillin and 19 other antimicrobial agents. Of the 238 Staphylococcus Epidermidis isolates, 58 % were identified as methicillin - resistant in vitro . Of the 332 Staphylococcus aureus isolates only 1 (0,3%) was phenotypically resistant to methicillin.The percentage (%) of Staphylococcus Epidermidis isolates resistant to the 20 tested antibiotics was : Oxacillin (58%) , Penicillin (82 %), Amoxicillin/ClavulanicAcid (34 %), Cephalothin (4 %),Cefuroxime (31%), Cefotaxime (20%), Imipenem (46%) , Gentamicin (46 %) , Tobramycin (57%) , Netilmicin (16 %), Ciprofloxacin(23 %), Ofloxacin (21%), Erythromycin (36%), Fusidic Acid ( 27% ) , Clindamycin (34 %), Cloramphenicol (19 %), Rifampin (4 %), Vancomycin ( 0 % ) , Co-trimoxazole(62%), Trimethoprim (53%) ; From this data we conclude that only vancomycin and to some extent rifampin and cephalothin are suitable for the treatment of bacterial prostatitis caused by Staphyloccocus epidermidis. However, rifampin cannot be used as monotherapy since microbial resistance to it seems to develop rapidly.
Vancomycin is recognized as one of the most potent antistaphylococcal drugs available. It is the drug-of-choice in the treatment of serious methicillin-resistant Staph. aureus infections. Vancomycin interferes with peptidoglycan biosynthesis in multiplying organisms and is bactericidal. It is also the preferred therapy for Clostridium difficile (antibiotic-associated) colitis. Vancomycin interferes with peptidoglycan biosynthesis in multiplying organisms and is bactericidal.
Vancomycin is supplied as the hydrochloride salt and isavailable in 500-mg ampuls. Vancomycin is usually administered intravenously or orally. I.V. vancomycin should be administered slowly (over 30--60 min) and in an adequate volume (100--250 ml) of 5% dextrose injection. Usual adult dose is 500 mg every six hours or 1 g every 12 hours. Vancomycin is almost completely eliminated through the kidneys. Mean vancomycin concentrations in the presence of inflamed meninges, pleural fluid, pericardial fluid, ascitic fluid, synovial fluid, and bile are approximately 15% of the serum concentrations, and this value may be probably recorded also in the prostate.
The various treatments of bacterial prostatitis caused by Staphylococcus epidermidis , which we consider a true pathogen , when found in the prostate or in the seminal fluid , are presented below:
Methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus Epidermidis strains should be treated with (3) :
1. oxacillin/nafcillin 1.5-3 gm IV 6h,
or
2. cefazolin 1-2 gm IV q 8h,
or
3. clindamicin 600 mg IV q 8h,
Methicillin resistance is equivalent to resistance to oxacillin and nafcillin, which are commonly used and extremely effective anti-staph drugs, in fact they are the drugs of choice.
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Epidermidis (MRSE) strains (3) should be treated with vancomycin with or without rifampin.
The Standard treatment for Staphylococcus Epidermidis deep infection is (3) :
Vancomycin IV q 12 h +/- Rifampin 3- bid IV/PO +/- Gentamicin 3-5 mg/kg/d IV
Vancomycin + Methicillin-resistant (VRSE / MRSE) strains of Staphylococcus Epidermidis should be treated with (3) :
1. Linezolid (Zyvox) 600 mg IV/PO bid + Rifampin +/or Gentamicin
or with
2. Daptomycin IV 4 mg/kg/d + Rifampin +/or Gentamicin.
3. Quinupristin / Dalfopristin (Synercid)
The existence of mixed species biofilms of Candida albicans and Staphylococcus epidermidis have also been reported (4). Biofilms are notoriously difficult to eliminate and are a source of recalcitrant infections. The novel lipid formulation of amphotericin and the echinocandins (caspofungin, micafungin) have demonstrated unique antifungal activity against Candida biofilms (5).
In a Japanese laboratory and clinical study on 11 patients (6) , Sulbactam/cefoperazone (SBT/CPZ) exhibited 8 fold or more potent antimicrobial activity than cefoperazone against beta-lactamase producing E. coli and coagulase-negative staphylococci (Staphylococcus Epidermidis).
Staphylococcus saprophyticus has also been shown to be an important pathogen in prostatic infections (7). Thirty-five isolates from 27 patients with staphylococci in the prostatic fluid of men with bacterial prostatitis were evaluated for the presence of S. saprophyticus. Three patients (11 per cent) with this organism were identified by novobiocin resistance (disk diffusion test), absence of hemolysis, and coagulase. These patients tended to be younger, more symptomatic, and more responsive to appropriate antibiotic therapy than those with staphylococcus epidermidis.
So far a vaccine against Staphylococcus Aureus has been developed by Nabi Biopharmaceuticals (8) for patients who are at high risk of S. aureus infections and who are able to respond to a vaccine by producing their own antibodies. StaphVAX? (Staphylococcus aureus Polysaccharide Conjugate Vaccine) is an investigational polysaccharide conjugate vaccine that presents a novel approach to the prevention of S. aureus infections. StaphVAX is intended to stimulate a patient's immune system to produce antibodies to S. aureus that provide active, long-term protection from the bacteria. StaphVAX targets S. aureus types 5 and 8, which are responsible for approximately 85 percent of S. aureus infections.
Altastaph? [Staphylococcus aureus Immune Globulin Intravenous (Human)] is an investigational human antibody-based product containing high levels of antibodies to capsular polysaccharides (protective outer sugar coatings on S. aureus bacteria) from S. aureus types 5 and 8, which together account for approximately 85 percent of all S. aureus infections. These antibodies are the same antibodies that are developed in patients who are vaccinated with StaphVAX?), Nabi Biopharmaceuticals' investigational vaccine to prevent S. aureus infections, and, indeed, Altastaph is produced by vaccinating healthy volunteers with StaphVAX, and then harvest the anti-staphylococcus antibodies.
Nabi Biopharmaceuticals is focused on developing a broad portfolio of vaccines and antibody-based therapies that target Gram-positive bacteria, most notably S. aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Enterococcus. These bacteria are the leading causes of serious hospital-acquired infections.
EpiVAX? (Staphylococcus epidermidis Conjugate Vaccine) is an investigational vaccine in preclinical development for the prevention of S. epidermidis infections (8). EnteroVAX? (Enterococcus faecalis Conjugate Vaccine) is an investigational vaccine also in preclinical development for the prevention of enterococcal infections (8) . Both EpiVAX and EnteroVAX have been shown to induce antibodies that are protective in animal models and facilitate elimination of bacteria by the same type of immune system response as StaphVAX (8).
EpiVAX? (Staphylococcus epidermidis Conjugate Vaccine) will probably be used both as a vaccine in order to prevent S. epidermidis infections, and as a potential therapeutic vaccine to be administrated before onset of antibiotherapy.
The objective of a recent article of John (9) was to determine the in vitro susceptibilities of a large series of speciated coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) against three new antibiotics, linezolid, quinupristin/dalfopristin and telithromycin. Resistance to linezolid was not observed in any isolates, although MIC90 values varied between species. Fifteen of 658 (2.3%) isolates were resistant to quinupristin/dalfopristin, but < 1% of the clinically most important isolates of Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus haemolyticus and Staphylococcus hominis demonstrated resistance to this agent. Telithromycin was the least active of the new agents tested, showing activity similar to that of clindamycin. Susceptibility and resistance to clindamycin were predictive of susceptibility and resistance to telithromycin. Resistance to clindamycin did not predict quinupristin/dalfopristin resistance.
Quinupristin/dalfopristin and linezolid show good activity against both mecA-positive and -negative CNS.
Quinupristin-dalfopristin(10) also appeared to be an efficient and safe antimicrobial drug for the rescue treatment of staphylococcal infections in critically ill patients. It may be considered as a treatment option in cases of vancomycin treatment failure. Patients received, intravenously, quinupristin-dalfopristin (Q-D) 7.5 mg/kg body weight 3 times daily. The duration of Q-D therapy averaged 11.8 days (range: 1-26 days)(10).
Conclusions : Prostatitis caused by Staphylococcus Epidermidis and/or by other coagulase - negative staphylococci should not be neglected or left untreated, since some potential treatments for this infection of the prostate exist and are available. Newly introduced or experimental drugs, such as streptogramins (quinupristin-dalfopristin), oxazolidinones (linezolid), carbapenems (LY 333328 i.e. Oritavancin )(11), everninomicins (SCH 27899) (12) , and glycylcyclines ( tigecycline i.e. GAR-936 )(11), could be useful for therapy of infections caused by multiresistant staphylococci in general and for the treatment of Staphylococcus Epidermidis caused prostatitis in particular.
References :
1. Staphylococcus Summary : http://www.life.umd.edu/classroom/bsci424/PathogenDescriptions/Staphylococcus.htm
2. Jukka Hyvarinen et al. , Multiresistance in Staphylococcus spp. blood isolates in Finland with special reference to the distribution of the mecA gene among the Staphylococcus Epidermidis isolates , APMIS , 103 : 885-891, 1995;
3. Antibiotic Guide , Johns Hopkins Point of Care, http://hopkins-abxguide.org/ , abxfeedback@hopkinsabxguide.org ;
4. Adam B, Baillie GS, Douglas LJ, Mixed species biofilms of Candida albicans and
Staphylococcus epidermidis , J. Med. Microbiol. , 2002 , 51: 344-9;
5. Mary Ann Jabra-Rizk , Fungal Biofilms and Drug Resistance, Emerging Infectious Diseases, Vol.10,No. 1, January 2004 ;
6. Suzuki K, Horiba M., Laboratory and clinical study of sulbactam/cefoperazone (SBT/CPZ) on bacterial prostatitis, Hinyokika Kiyo. 1991 Oct;37(10):1333-43.
7. Carson CC, McGraw VD, Zwadyk P , Bacterial prostatitis caused by Staphylococcus saprophyticus. Urology. 1982 Jun;19(6):576-8.
8. http://www.nabi.com/ , Nabi Biopharmaceuticals web-site, EpiVAX? (Staphylococcus epidermidis Conjugate Vaccine)
9. John MA, Pletch C, Hussain Z., In vitro activity of quinupristin/dalfopristin, linezolid, telithromycin and comparator antimicrobial agents against 13 species of coagulase-negative staphylococci. J Antimicrob Chemother. 2002 Dec;50(6):933-8.
10. Sander A, Beiderlinden M, Schmid EN, Peters J. Clinical experience with quinupristin-dalfopristin as rescue treatment of critically ill patients infected with methicillin-resistant staphylococci.Intensive Care Med. 2002 Aug;28(8):1157-60. Epub 2002 Jun 20. (andreas.sander@ejk.de)
11. Guay DR. Oritavancin and tigecycline: investigational antimicrobials for multidrug-resistant bacteria. Pharmacotherapy. 2004 Jan;24(1):58-68. (guayx001@tc.umn.edu)
12. Nakashio S, Iwasawa H, Dun FY, Kanemitsu K, Shimada J. Everninomicin, a new oligosaccharide antibiotic: its antimicrobial activity, post-antibiotic effect and synergistic bactericidal activity. Drugs Exp Clin Res. 1995;21(1):7-16.
This article is free for republishing
Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_6698_23.html
Friday, October 19, 2007
Raise superbug awareness, reduce subsequent compensation claims
by Katy Lassetter
When involved in an accident and admitted to A&E or booked into hospital to undergo a routine procedure, the last thing you expect is to face sustaining another personal injury or a fatal illness. We entrust our care to medical professionals, expect to be treated and certainly don't expect to have to be up against the NHS making a high-profile compensation claim. But considering the influx of viruses and superbugs in UK institutions over the past 25 years our safety could well be compromised.
First, we will go back to basics. A virus is a tiny organism that multiplies within cells and causes diseases which are immune to the affects of antibiotics. So what are superbugs? Well, the name superbug is reserved for diseases that have several genes that have become mutated and have also developed a resistance to antibiotics.
Both viruses and superbugs frequently become epidemics within institutions where there are large quantities of people in close proximity to one another, such as schools and hospitals.
Meningitis The bacteria that cause meningitis can lay dormant in the nose and throat and be fought off by our immune system. However, approximately 3,000 cases of meningitis are reported in the UK every year. Meningitis is caused by either a bacteria or a virus attacking the meninges, a layer of membrane surrounding the brain, which becomes inflamed.
Viral meningitis is more common but bacterial meningitis can be fatal. 10% of those diagnosed with bacterial meningitis will die and one in four will be left suffering from severe brain damage.
Children and young adults are particularly susceptible to meningitis and epidemics usually occur in schools and colleges. The disease is often passed between kissing contacts such as parents and children or boyfriends and girlfriends.
Babies with meningitis usually have pale faces, cold hands and feet, an arched back, an unusual cry and intolerance to being handled. Adult symptoms include suffering from a neck ache, headache, tiredness, intolerance to bright lights and a rash. Sometimes young people mistake these symptoms as being a hangover, flu or the a result of a personal injury such as whiplash and this can be a dangerous mistake to make.
What's being done to reduce risk of meningitis? Numerous meningitis campaigns have been introduced, including posters and leaflets, warning of the risks, signs and symptoms which can be seen displayed in universities and surgery waiting rooms. Work by the Meningitis Research Foundation also aims to raise both funds and public awareness for the disease. For more details please visit www.meningitis.org.
Free vaccinations against meningitis have been available for those attending establishments of further or higher education for more than five years and seem to be keeping the risk of mass outbreaks low. The Government has also announced a vaccination programme for babies which started in September 2006. This programme means that all babies beginning their routine vaccination programme at the age of two months will now also receive the pneumococcal jab from their GP.
MRSA The superbug that we most frequently hear reported about in the media is MRSA. Methycillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus as it is properly known can be found on the skin or in the noses of perfectly healthy people. However, it can become harmful when it infects wounds and cuts and is spread around the body through the bloodstream. This can cause damage to the bones and joints and eventually lead to organ failure.
MRSA can be spread by touching skin to skin and even be passed on through the air. This superbug is particularly common in hospitals and can also lead to holiday compensation claims after outbreaks on cruise ships and in hotels. More than 5,000 people die of hospital-acquired infections in the UK every year and 7,000 cases of MRSA were recorded in England and Wales during 2002.
It is thought that infection is mostly passed between staff and patients although the general cleanliness of hospitals has also come under scrutiny. Consultant microbiologist at UCLH, Dr Peter Wilson has commented, "If you have a dusty hospital, and most is made up of skin scale [dead skin] it [MRSA] will survive there for one or two months."
A recent compensation claim was made by Godfrey Anachunam Nkemdilim, the father of a 31-year-old woman from Norbury, Greater London, who died after contracting MRSA as an in-patient at a London hospital.
Personal injury solicitor, Rohan Pershad, revealed in court, "She had been admitted to King's College Hospital for a minor procedure and it was there that she contracted MRSA, which was not diagnosed when she was released in August 2001.
"Mr Nkemdilim's case is that, if she had been adequately treated, she would not have died because, although the bug would have developed, effective treatment would have ameliorated the condition."
Mr Justice Teare ruled that the case should be settled for a total of £45,000, some of which was to be used for Mr Nkemdilim's daughter's funeral expenses and the rest of which was to be awarded to be his 14-year-old granddaughter.
What's being done to reduce risk? There has been a crackdown on hospital hygiene since 2003. Doctors and nurses have been encouraged to wash their hands more regularly when going about their duties and they have also been asked to carry antiseptic wipes with them to avoid spreading infection. Visitors have been urged to wash their hands before entering onto hospital wards. In addition, medical staff have been asked to make sure that regular cleaning schedules are carried out and that wards maintain a high standard of cleanliness.
With any hope this should improve the chances of a safer stay at hospital and decrease the chances of subsequent compensation claims being made.
This article may be published on another website free of charge, on the condition that a link is provided from this article to our website: http://www.the-claim-solicitors.co.uk
About the Author
Online personal injury compensation claim specialists, with a 97% claim success rate. Call 0800 197 32 32 or visit http://www.the-claim-solicitors.co.uk for more details.
When involved in an accident and admitted to A&E or booked into hospital to undergo a routine procedure, the last thing you expect is to face sustaining another personal injury or a fatal illness. We entrust our care to medical professionals, expect to be treated and certainly don't expect to have to be up against the NHS making a high-profile compensation claim. But considering the influx of viruses and superbugs in UK institutions over the past 25 years our safety could well be compromised.
First, we will go back to basics. A virus is a tiny organism that multiplies within cells and causes diseases which are immune to the affects of antibiotics. So what are superbugs? Well, the name superbug is reserved for diseases that have several genes that have become mutated and have also developed a resistance to antibiotics.
Both viruses and superbugs frequently become epidemics within institutions where there are large quantities of people in close proximity to one another, such as schools and hospitals.
Meningitis The bacteria that cause meningitis can lay dormant in the nose and throat and be fought off by our immune system. However, approximately 3,000 cases of meningitis are reported in the UK every year. Meningitis is caused by either a bacteria or a virus attacking the meninges, a layer of membrane surrounding the brain, which becomes inflamed.
Viral meningitis is more common but bacterial meningitis can be fatal. 10% of those diagnosed with bacterial meningitis will die and one in four will be left suffering from severe brain damage.
Children and young adults are particularly susceptible to meningitis and epidemics usually occur in schools and colleges. The disease is often passed between kissing contacts such as parents and children or boyfriends and girlfriends.
Babies with meningitis usually have pale faces, cold hands and feet, an arched back, an unusual cry and intolerance to being handled. Adult symptoms include suffering from a neck ache, headache, tiredness, intolerance to bright lights and a rash. Sometimes young people mistake these symptoms as being a hangover, flu or the a result of a personal injury such as whiplash and this can be a dangerous mistake to make.
What's being done to reduce risk of meningitis? Numerous meningitis campaigns have been introduced, including posters and leaflets, warning of the risks, signs and symptoms which can be seen displayed in universities and surgery waiting rooms. Work by the Meningitis Research Foundation also aims to raise both funds and public awareness for the disease. For more details please visit www.meningitis.org.
Free vaccinations against meningitis have been available for those attending establishments of further or higher education for more than five years and seem to be keeping the risk of mass outbreaks low. The Government has also announced a vaccination programme for babies which started in September 2006. This programme means that all babies beginning their routine vaccination programme at the age of two months will now also receive the pneumococcal jab from their GP.
MRSA The superbug that we most frequently hear reported about in the media is MRSA. Methycillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus as it is properly known can be found on the skin or in the noses of perfectly healthy people. However, it can become harmful when it infects wounds and cuts and is spread around the body through the bloodstream. This can cause damage to the bones and joints and eventually lead to organ failure.
MRSA can be spread by touching skin to skin and even be passed on through the air. This superbug is particularly common in hospitals and can also lead to holiday compensation claims after outbreaks on cruise ships and in hotels. More than 5,000 people die of hospital-acquired infections in the UK every year and 7,000 cases of MRSA were recorded in England and Wales during 2002.
It is thought that infection is mostly passed between staff and patients although the general cleanliness of hospitals has also come under scrutiny. Consultant microbiologist at UCLH, Dr Peter Wilson has commented, "If you have a dusty hospital, and most is made up of skin scale [dead skin] it [MRSA] will survive there for one or two months."
A recent compensation claim was made by Godfrey Anachunam Nkemdilim, the father of a 31-year-old woman from Norbury, Greater London, who died after contracting MRSA as an in-patient at a London hospital.
Personal injury solicitor, Rohan Pershad, revealed in court, "She had been admitted to King's College Hospital for a minor procedure and it was there that she contracted MRSA, which was not diagnosed when she was released in August 2001.
"Mr Nkemdilim's case is that, if she had been adequately treated, she would not have died because, although the bug would have developed, effective treatment would have ameliorated the condition."
Mr Justice Teare ruled that the case should be settled for a total of £45,000, some of which was to be used for Mr Nkemdilim's daughter's funeral expenses and the rest of which was to be awarded to be his 14-year-old granddaughter.
What's being done to reduce risk? There has been a crackdown on hospital hygiene since 2003. Doctors and nurses have been encouraged to wash their hands more regularly when going about their duties and they have also been asked to carry antiseptic wipes with them to avoid spreading infection. Visitors have been urged to wash their hands before entering onto hospital wards. In addition, medical staff have been asked to make sure that regular cleaning schedules are carried out and that wards maintain a high standard of cleanliness.
With any hope this should improve the chances of a safer stay at hospital and decrease the chances of subsequent compensation claims being made.
This article may be published on another website free of charge, on the condition that a link is provided from this article to our website: http://www.the-claim-solicitors.co.uk
About the Author
Online personal injury compensation claim specialists, with a 97% claim success rate. Call 0800 197 32 32 or visit http://www.the-claim-solicitors.co.uk for more details.
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