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Simultaneous Infection with MRSA and the Flu 5-16-08
Just in case you're a junky for disturbing news, here's something to ponder.
You probably already know that it's been a bad year for the flu, with the
current version of the vaccine offering minimal protection. You've probably also
heard that antibiotic-resistant infections are on the rise. Well, now there's a
new concern. The medical community is worried about an alarming increase in the
number of people simultaneously infected with both the flu and the
antibiotic-resistant infection known as MRSA. For the very young, the very old,
and those in weakened condition, having a combination of both conditions spells
catastrophe.
Also known as "the deadly superbug," MRSA stands for "methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus" -- a highly infectious bacterial condition that doesn't
respond to known antibiotic treatments. MRSA most likely developed in response
to antibiotic overuse, mutating to its current hardy form. It typically starts
as a skin infection, but it can spread to the lungs, causing pneumonia and other
deadly diseases. Apparently, MRSA and the flu have a cooperative relationship:
MRSA makes the system more vulnerable to the flu and the flu makes the system
more vulnerable to MRSA-induced pneumonia.
The CDC has noted a sharp increase in the number of cases of reported deaths
from simultaneous infection within the past few years, particularly among
children. In 2004-2005, only one pediatric death from co-infection was reported,
compared to 24 deaths this year. Although these are small numbers, they do
represent a 2400-percent increase in just a few years, marking a trend some
medical experts find alarming. They worry about the possibility that we could
have an epidemic of more viruses such as bird flu and SARS at the same time that
the incidence of MRSA continues to rise at an accelerated rate. (In fact, the
2001-2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey estimated that as
many as 2 million people in the US alone may be infected with methicillin-resistant
staph infections, and some experts say that MRSA is already at epidemic levels.)
"This is what happened in the influenza pandemic in 1957, which was co-incident
with a pandemic of multi-drug resistant staphylococcal infections," say Dr.
Jerome Klein of the Boston University School of Medicine. "Not only were the
elderly and immuno-compromised prone to the combination, but otherwise healthy
individuals were felled with substantial morbidity and mortality."
The problem is, apparently, that once you have a compromised immune system,
whether through bacterial or viral infection, you're vulnerable to attack by
other diseases of all sorts. Given recent research that indicates a virus might
cause prostrate and other cancers, there's yet another reason that you need to
keep your immune system in top shape and to prevent all sorts of infection or
viruses from finding safe harbor in your body.
The solution touted by the majority of medical minds is to make sure all of us
-- including our infants -- get flu vaccines. Avoid the flu, they say, and
you'll not only have protection from the flu, but also, from co-infection. But
given the evidence about vaccine side effects (and ineffectiveness), which I've
discussed at length before, I'd recommend a different approach -- one based on
destroying as many invading pathogens (bacteria, viruses, parasites, etc.) as
possible, and optimizing your immune system to clean up the rest.
What is methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus MRSA?
MRSA stands for methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus)
bacteria. This organism is known for causing skin infections, in addition to
many other types of infections. There are other designations in the scientific
literature for these bacteria according to where the bacteria are acquired by
patients, such as community-acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA), and hospital-acquired MRSA
or epidemic MRSA (EMRSA).
Although S. aureus has been causing infections (staph infections) probably as
long as the human race has existed, MRSA has a relatively short history. MRSA
was first noted in 1961, about two years after the antibiotic methicillin was
initially used to treat S. aureus and other infectious bacteria. The resistance
to methicillin was due to a penicillin-binding protein coded for by a mobile
genetic element termed the methicillin resistant gene (mecA). In recent years,
the gene has continued to evolve so that many MRSA strains are currently
resistant to several different antibiotics. S. aureus is sometimes termed a "superbug"
because of its ability to become resistant to several antibiotics.
Unfortunately, MRSA can be found worldwide.
What are the signs and symptoms of MRSA infection?
Most MRSA infections are skin infections that produce the following signs and
symptoms:
* cellulitis (infection of the skin or the fat and tissues that lie immediately
beneath the skin, usually starting as small red bumps in the skin),
* boils (pus-filled infections of hair follicles),
* abscesses (collections of pus in under the skin),
* sty (infection of eyelid gland),
* carbuncles (infections larger than an abscess, usually with several openings
to the skin),
and
* impetigo (a skin infection with pus-filled blisters).
What does MRSA look like?
One major problem with MRSA is that occasionally the skin infection can spread
to almost any other organ in the body. When this happens, more severe symptoms
develop. MRSA that spreads to internal organs can become life-threatening.
Fever, chills, low blood pressure, joint pains, severe headaches, shortness of
breath, and "rash over most of the body" are symptoms that need immediate
medical attention, especially when associated with skin infections.
How is MRSA infection transmitted?
There are two major ways people become infected with MRSA. The first is physical
contact with someone who is either infected or is a carrier (people who are not
infected but are colonized with the bacteria on their body) of MRSA. The second
way is for people to physically contact MRSA on any objects such as door
handles, floors, sinks, or towels that have been touched by an MRSA-infected
person or carrier. Normal skin tissue in people usually does not allow MRSA
infection to develop; however, if there are cuts, abrasions, or other skin flaws
such as psoriasis (chronic skin disease with dry patches, redness, and scaly
skin), MRSA may proliferate. Many otherwise healthy individuals, especially
children and young adults, do not notice small skin imperfections or scrapes and
may be lax in taking precautions about skin contacts. This is the likely reason
MRSA outbreaks occur in diverse types of people such as school team players
(like football players or wrestlers), dormitory residents, and armed-services
personnel in constant close contact.
People with higher risk of MRSA infection are those with obvious skin breaks
(surgical patients, hospital patients with intravenous lines, burns, or skin
ulcers) and patients with depressed immune systems (infants, elderly, or
HIV-infected individuals) or chronic diseases (diabetes or cancer). Patients
with pneumonia (lung infection) due to MRSA can transmit MRSA by airborne
droplets. Health-care workers as a group are repeatedly exposed to MRSA-positive
patients and can have a high rate of infection if precautions are not taken.
Health-care workers and patient visitors should use disposable masks, gowns, and
gloves when they enter the MRSA-infected patient's room.
How is MRSA diagnosed?
A skin sample, pus on the skin, or blood, urine, or biopsy material (tissue sample) is sent to a microbiology lab and cultured for S. aureus. If S. aureus is isolated (grown on a Petri plate), the bacteria are then exposed to different antibiotics including methicillin. S. aureus that grows well when methicillin is in the culture are termed MRSA, and the patient is diagnosed as MRSA-infected. The same procedure is done to determine if someone is an MRSA carrier (screening for a carrier), but sample skin or mucous membrane sites are only swabbed, not biopsied.
In 2008, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a rapid blood test that can detect the presence of MRSA genetic material in a blood sample in as little as two hours. The test is also able to determine whether the genetic material is from MRSA or from less dangerous Staph bacteria. The test is not recommended for use in monitoring treatment of MRSA infections and should not be used as the only basis for the diagnosis of a MRSA infection.
__________________________________________________________________________________
How do you keep your Family Safe?
Illnesses are tough this year. Flu shots as always are ineffective( at least now FDA admits it). And the normal, colds ,bronchitis, flu's, stomach bugs, and sinusitis are hitting families sometimes 2 or 3 at once, lasting weeks, and being very resistant to all over the counter and prescription drugs, and most commonly used natural supplements. We rarely get any seasonal illnesses in our house and this year they went through 2 times.
Your first line of defense is not to get sick at all. Teach your children and remember yourself not to touch your face with out washing your hands first. Do not use any anti bacterial soaps, these have been proven ineffective and kill the good bacteria that protect you from illness. Do not use gel hand sanitizers unless you absolutely need to (healthier recipe below). If you share (either at home, work or school) keyboards, phones, printers, faxes, or other office items, get some alcohol pads and wipe them of before using or once a week at home. Send some with your kids to wipe theirs at school. Some grocery stores have sanitizing cart wipes, but if they don't use hand sanitizer on the handle bar or alcohol pads. Wipe down your purse once a week it is germ haven. When you use public bathrooms that still have doors, wash your hands (touching all soap dispensers with a paper towel or your elbow. After you dry your hands use the same paper towel to open the door. Get in the habit of pushing open all public doors with your elbow, or hip and not your hands. After your shopping trip when you get back in the car use your hand sanitizer again.
Teach your kids the same habits for their school bathroom use. Wash lunch box handles and boxes at least once a week. Better yet use 100% recycled paper bags. Gym and sports locker room areas are the worst offenders and were most teenagers are contracting the illness. You cant make the school properly sanitize the locker rooms and shower areas. If your child has any open sore injury or cut they need to sanitize it after showering. If they have an open sore on their foot, it is best that they do not use the shower until it heals. The wet floors are filthy and ripe with germs. They should use the hand sanitizer on the way to their next class. They should sanitize their locks on their lockers daily with an alcohol pad or hand sanitizer.
Download a copy of our popular FREE Guide that shows you how to treat most common winter illnesses. Stock up on suggested essential oils and supplements. And make a batch of hand sanitizer for each member of the family.
Healthier Moisturizing Hand Sanitizer Makes 16oz
16 oz Organic Aloe Vera Gel
1 tbsp. Fractionated Coconut or Jojoba oil
40 drops Marauder Essential Oil Blend
Shake well and distribute into small bottles for your family members.
Pump Up Your Immune System Daily:
Drink 1 Cup of Real Kefir or Kombucha Daily
Take 2000mg of Vitamin C with Bioflavonoids daily
Put 3 drops of Immune Strength on your feet daily
If you are in a high risk situations (work in health field or around someone who has it)
Use the above but increase Kefir or Kombucha to 2 cups a day
Take 1 tbsp Silver Biotics
To Treat MRSA:
Along with prescribed medicines:
1 tbsp silver biotics 4 times a day
Drink 2 Cups of Real Kefir or Kombucha Daily
Bandaid 1 peeled organic garlic clove on each foot for 8 hours a day
Use 4 drops Marauder and Nightingale along the spine once a day
Drink 1/2 your body weight in ounces of distilled water until well (if you weigh 200lbs =100ounces a day)