In the last 10 years a certain strain of bacteria has become stronger and almost immune to present day antibiotics. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a mutated cousin to one of the most common bacteria found in nature.
We all have billions of bacteria living on our body. It is there all the time, even after we shower, and this is perfectly normal. Staph. aureus is considered a normal bacteria and it can be found on almost everyone’s skin. Due to today’s poor management of antibiotics by the general public, doctors and scientist have to develop new forms of antibiotics on a regular basis to keep up with what is being called a “superbug.”
When someone is prescribed antibiotics for an infection it is incredibly important to take the medications just as your doctor has prescribed it, all the way until the last pill is gone. When people only take a few of the pills prescribed, then stop when they are feeling better, this allows some of the remaining bacteria to mutate themselves and become immune to that medication. When this happens time and time again, bacteria become resistant to almost every medication we have, unless we keep designing new ones.
Unfortunately for the US military, there is a high prevalence of MRSA in the Middle East, and many troops are developing serious skin infections that started out as simple sand flea bites. Most forms of Staph. Aureus are susceptible to antibiotics like quinolones, clindamycin, and erythromycin. MRSA on the other hand is only susceptible to a few antibiotics that are generally administered together to individuals who have been infected with this bacterium. In different geographic areas, the mutations that have occurred vary, and therefore it is important for infections disease experts to stay in good contact with local laboratories to determine what treatment is the most efficacious.
As I mentioned in last week’s article, we know that many of today’s internal infections can be caused by poor oral hygiene. After speaking with a local dentist in Lake Wales, he wanted me to make a strong recommendation to everyone with recurring infections and a history of dental problems to be evaluated by your dentist as soon as possible.
One recent research article was trying to establish predictors for the carriage of MRSA. It pointed out that people who smoke, ex-smokers, and women on oral contraceptives were the most likely to be carriers of MRSA. We all need to do our part to make sure that this simple bacterium does not become a fatal epidemic in the U.S. Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly after each trip to the bathroom, and before every meal. Incessant use of hand sanitizer is not necessary, it is actually more important to simply wash your hands. And I can not emphasize enough the importance of taking antibiotics as recommended by your doctor. This little bug will be less of a problem if we all work together.