I’m very concered about the amout of "boils"that have become increasingly common.When one goes to the doctor it is labled as an insect bites. After constant returns and tests it is then called MRSA(methocillian resistant Staff aureus) Where did this come from and why is it so common?I noticed this hasn’t been address by the media or proffessionals.
This should be in General Questions. I did a quick Google search, and there are reputable sites that discuss this, particularly the Centers for Disease Control.
Hospitals are perfect places to observe evolution in action . Patients are routinely given antibiotics ,sometimes for no specific reason. This increases the chances of a brand new strain of bacteria ,one that is lucky enough to have a natural immunity to the antibiotics, to prosper and multiply.
At first ,the little devils developped immunity to penicillin . But we quickly came up with a new form of penicillin called Methocillin which , although less potent than regular penicillin , did retain some effectivenss against the new strains. However, then the varmints developped a resistance to Methocillin. Hence the term MRSA. If a patient catches this, he must undergo a long period of IV Vancomycin ,at a cost of many thousands of dollars.
I know about this.partly because I am a pharmacist . But mostly because it happened to me. I must say, I really enjoyed all the attention I received at the hospital when I picked up this little illness . I immediately got my own private room ,with a quarantine sign on the door. I was visited by nurses wearing special germ proof ,rubber suits , with masks and air proof visors. I really felt like I was getting the royal treatment --it was better than my trip to Cancun !!!
MRSA is a mutated variant of the staphylococcus virus that is resistant to most commonly-used antibiotics. Vancomycin is the only antibiotic I’m familiar with that is used to treat it.
It’s not THAT common, but it’s becoming more and more common. It typically occurs in hospital settings, particularly long-term care. However, it’s popping up more and more in the general population as well, probably because, well, it’s resistant to most antibiotics, so it has an advantage in natural selection.
The reason I’m familiar with it is because Whatsit Jr. came down with MRSA-caused pneumonia when he was a month old, so I did a lot of reading up on it. There are many, many resources on the Internet that you can use to learn about it. Just type “MRSA” into Google.
An interesting book about viruses, bacteria, parasites, and our responses to them in modern society is “The Coming Plague”, if you want something to read on the topic. The author specifically mentions MRSA briefly.
flabbygirlyman: "Patients are routinely given antibiotics, sometimes for no specific reason. "
Where does this happen? I want to avoid the place. Did you observe this yourself? If so, to whom did you report it? Giving antibiotics “routinely” “for no specific reason” sounds like both malpractice and fraud (since someone is paying for the unneeded drugs).
The giving away of antibiotics for no reason is a bit of an exaggeration, they are often overused. There are many countries where they are over the counter, like aspirin, and people take them whenever they feel sick. In fact there are recommendations now for using different antibiotics for people who became sick soon after coming here from some of these places (like some SE asian countries) because of the high rates of resistance.
Closer to home, when a parent takes a child to the pediatrician. They want/expect something to make the kid better. Frequently, it’s a virus against which we have no good drugs, but after taking the kid out of school, and taking a day off work, and waiting for (close to) an eternity, they don’t want to hear that the kid just needs rest and fluids. (They, of course, also want the kid to stop feeling so bad.) Also, it’s hard to explain why their last illness was bacterial and this is viral, so last time they saw a doc they got Abx and this time they didn’t.
Third, we treat strep throat in kids not to cure it, and not really even to make it better, but to prevent horrible consequences later. Some children who get it, if they don’t get treated, can go on to develop an autoimmune reaction that can injure the heart valves leading to a number of problems later. So when the kid’s got a sore throat the worry (and the Abx) is for the heart (later) and when the test says there’s no strep there’s no reason to give. Unfortunately, again, communication suffers, and parents want the antibiotics for their children.
Just some of the examples I’ve found.
PC
When I said antibiotics are given to hospital patients routinely , often without a SPECIFIC REASON , I mean that there is no specific bacterial infection present ; the antibiotics are given as profilactic protection for patients who are in a weakened condition(ie sick ) . There is nothing fraudulent about this practise . It may contribute to antibiotic resistance , but it is not an example of malpractice ,and , in its own right , has saved lives. Also , it is relatively inexpensive ; the great expense comes with intravenous Vancomycin treatment around the clock for weeks for those with MRSA.