US reports first case of bacteria resistant to antibiotic of last resort

[AdamSmith]

Well, been nice knowing you all.

 

US reports first case of bacteria resistant to antibiotic of last resort

‘It is the end of the road for antibiotics unless we act urgently,’ says Centers for Disease Control and Prevention after superbug infects Pennsylvania woman

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/may/27/us-reports-first-case-of-bacteria-resistant-to-antibiotic-of-last-resort

[whipped guy]

Antibiotics have been overly used in the country and I am sure elsewhere as well. In the dental field antibiotics were overly prescribed for many conditions where it was subsequently shown to be not warranted, an example being mitral valve prolapse. In fact I recall reading one study about 25 years ago where the number of patients who died from an allergic reaction to the antibiotic used was much greater than those who met their demise from the condition itself. Enough said.

 

The over use of antibittics has always been a concern of mine. It now seems that we indeed are approaching the "end of the road".

 

Incidentally, I recently saw a physican while on vacation due to an infection. The doctor was surprised that I agreed with him when he said that an antibiotic was not warranted. He said that he normally has to spend quite a bit of time attempting to convince the patient regarding the correct course of action.

 

So I agree with @bigvalboy . A Good stiff drink would often be just as effective!!!!! So go for it!

[whipped guy]

PS to the above: I read the study in the 1990's. It was in 2007 that the American Heart Assiciation and ADA changed the guidelines. Talk about being behind the curve!

[+ Phactor]

This is pretty big news in my mind. Once it is here, it most likely will not go away. Let's see how well it's contained. I'm willing to give it decade before significant action is taken.

[marylander1940]

Well, been nice knowing you all.

 

US reports first case of bacteria resistant to antibiotic of last resort

‘It is the end of the road for antibiotics unless we act urgently,’ says Centers for Disease Control and Prevention after superbug infects Pennsylvania woman

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/may/27/us-reports-first-case-of-bacteria-resistant-to-antibiotic-of-last-resort

 

It was meant to happen... the American way take a pill and it go away is no longer working because we have abused antibiotics. Mark my words, the same will happen with PrEP.

[LivingnLA]

It was meant to happen... the American way take a pill and it go away is no longer working because we have abused antibiotics. Mark my words, the same will happen with PrEP.

 

It's already happened, but currently the known strain is very rare. As prep use increases, so too will the number of resistant strains and their distribution in the population. Virus mutation is rapid and very effective at adapting to environmental changes.

[whipped guy]

It's already happened, but currently the known strain is very rare. As prep use increases, so too will the number of resistant strains and their distribution in the population. Virus mutation is rapid and very effective at adapting to environmental changes.

As I recently posted in another thread regarding viruses:

 

One thing that I learned from my professors related not to human behavior and intent, but rather to the behavior and intent of a virus. Incredibly any given virus was often much smarter than any drug that was designed to prevent or combat it. Given that fact I would never solely rely on a drug for prevention. One must have the mindset that preventing HIV is a never ending battle and therefore the most effective armamentarium must be utilized. Be in denial if you wish, but I think what has proven to be most effective is already known...

 

Obviously bacteria are often just as "smart".

[marylander1940]

It's already happened, but currently the known strain is very rare. As prep use increases, so too will the number of resistant strains and their distribution in the population. Virus mutation is rapid and very effective at adapting to environmental changes.

 

Great post, thank you!

 

Gentlemen:

 

Can we please be responsible and go back to condoms, let's stop playing the BB Russian roulette.

[RyanDean]

A bit of context...

http://arstechnica.com/science/2016/05/everybody-be-cool-a-nightmare-superbug-has-not-heralded-the-apocalypse-yet/

[AdamSmith]

A bit of context...

http://arstechnica.com/science/2016/05/everybody-be-cool-a-nightmare-superbug-has-not-heralded-the-apocalypse-yet/

What?! Defusing our hysteria?

 

Party pooper.

[marylander1940]

A bit of context...

http://arstechnica.com/science/2016/05/everybody-be-cool-a-nightmare-superbug-has-not-heralded-the-apocalypse-yet/

 

the clear word is YET...

[LivingnLA]

A bit of context...

http://arstechnica.com/science/2016/05/everybody-be-cool-a-nightmare-superbug-has-not-heralded-the-apocalypse-yet/

 

Precisely, but the thing about mutations from what we currently know about evolution, they have an interesting way of propagating rapidly once they appear, which is why our overuse of antibiotics needs to stop as soon as possible, particularly in agriculture.

 

http://arstechnica.com/science/2016/03/potus-advisors-vote-for-superbug-czar-but-go-soft-on-farm-antibiotic-use/

[+ Funguy]

I agree with all of the above with regard to overuse of antibiotics and the development of resistant strains of bacteria. The most widely known and recognized example of this is MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staph aureus). The Staphylococcus bacteria is ubiquitous -it is found everywhere, including colonizing everyone's skin. Take a culture of your skin and grow your own. There is a strain, recognized for many years now, that is resistant to what, at one time, was pretty much the last frontier of antibiotics - Methicillin - with the intravenous route being the way to treat.

 

Now, anytime we have skin infections, from a simple pimple to more serious skin infections we ALWAYS (or should) think of MRSA at the top of out list and use only a sulfa drug (Bactrim) AND a certain topical ointment or cream for treatment. E.coli, the new superbug, is just as common as staph, causing bowel, urine, and other infections. If this one gets out of control, we are in for a rough time!

 

People - don't demand antibiotics from your doctor if he/she says they are not necessary, especially for colds and "the flu"! Don't take other people's medications and don't go to foreign countries just to buy some to keep on hand.

[whipped guy]

I agree with all of the above with regard to overuse of antibiotics and the development of resistant strains of bacteria. The most widely known and recognized example of this is MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staph aureus). The Staphylococcus bacteria is ubiquitous -it is found everywhere, including colonizing everyone's skin. Take a culture of your skin and grow your own. There is a strain, recognized for many years now, that is resistant to what, at one time, was pretty much the last frontier of antibiotics - Methicillin - with the intravenous route being the way to treat.

 

Now, anytime we have skin infections, from a simple pimple to more serious skin infections we ALWAYS (or should) think of MRSA at the top of out list and use only a sulfa drug (Bactrim) AND a certain topical ointment or cream for treatment. E.coli, the new superbug, is just as common as staph, causing bowel, urine, and other infections. If this one gets out of control, we are in for a rough time!

 

People - don't demand antibiotics from your doctor if he/she says they are not necessary, especially for colds and "the flu"! Don't take other people's medications and don't go to foreign countries just to buy some to keep on hand.

Amen! (And not being a religious person I rarely use the term!)

 

Also, for those new here and those not in the know Funguy is one of the most fun loving MD's on the planet. So he knows about what he speaks!

[+ stevenkesslar]

http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/01/21/461395411/childhood-vaccination-rates-climb-in-california

 

"Whatever the reasons, childhood vaccination rates last fall went up in 49 of 58 counties in California, according to data released Tuesday by state health officials...For the 2015-2016 school year, 92.9 percent of kindergartners were up-to-date on their shots — an increase of 2.5 percentage points from the previous term."

 

Not directly related, but a reason for optimism.

 

In the case of vaccines, the key challenge was to create a political environment where Michelle Bachmann shut up, responsible medical and political leaders wrote a memo, and responsible adults read it. That seems to be happening, whether it is based on bad shit like a measles outbreak or good shit like reading and thinking.

 

Herd mentality actually works.

 

 

Thanks, Purple Kow. Here you knew it all along.

[+ Funguy]

Steven, you have the right idea. Unfortunately, tho the vaccination rates did rise overall, there are still issues with having kids vaccinated with MMR and chickenpox vaccines and the rates for these vaccines are just beginning to approach the levels necessary for herd immunity (different rates for different vaccines). There is currently a chickenpox outbreak, so far 75, in Brooklyn. 72% of the kids were not vaccinated for cp at all and 14% had not yet had their 2nd shot.

 

Unfortunately, in this instance the statistical rise means nothing. Yeah - California vs. New York but it's the same animal!