17-Year Old Boy Dies from Drug Resistant Staph Infection

[Avalux]

This is from a local news station in Bedford VA. There have been 9 confirmed cases of MRSA (methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus) in the area, thought to be contracted in schools. None of the antibiotics given to this boy were effective in eradicating the bacteria.
__________________________

Family members of a 17-year-old Staunton River High School student tell us the boy died Monday, from complications of MRSA. The family says he apparently developed the infection while in school.

That’s where another child was diagnosed, but never hospitalized for the same hard-to-treat staph infection.

His mother tells me he never had any medical issues, before breaking his leg on the football field a year ago. This all developed quickly. Family members tell he was diagnosed with MRSA a week ago, placed in intensive care after the bacteria got into his blood stream, and, as we reported, died late Monday afternoon.

The state is also concerned about this. In fact, the Department of Education just issued a warning to parents everywhere. Charles Pyle, the departments' Communications Director said last Friday he plans to warn every school district in Virginia about the problem.

http://new.wset.com/news/stories/1007/464036.html

[sueh]

1. This is so sad. MRSA infection killed my mother 5 years ago.

My heart and prayers go out to this boy and his family.

[Horse with no Name]

5. I'm so sorry for your loss.

:hug:

[gateley]

2. What can be done? This is frightening and heartbreaking. We don't think

in this day and age that a "simple infection" can kill us so quickly. Staph has always been scary.

[Horse with no Name]

6. Staph is a normal skin flora

and in of itself is not dangerous.
It is when it colonizes or becomes infected that it is worrisome.

[Avalux]

7. New antibiotic development. Bacteria figure out ways around the ones we have.

Hand-washing and general hygiene are factors, but not all. As we start to see MRSA infections (and other resistant bacteria) emerge in the community and not just hospitals, there is a real danger we won't be able to control them with the drugs we have. Pharma Cos. dont' put nearly enough research effort into new antibiotic development.

[Horse with no Name]

10. I believe we are down to 3 antibiotics for MRSA.

Vancomycin, Zyvox and Synercid...with the latter effective against the VRE's (Vancomycin Resistant Enterrococcus).
I got a bad sinus infection last year that didn't respond to anything except the Zyvox. It was $2500 for FIVE pills.

[Thirtieschild]

23. I remember what it was like before antibiotics

Hope we're not going there again. Antibiotics have extended life expectancy tremendously. Extremely disturbing that bacteria are figuring out how to combat them. Poor, poor young man.

As a child one time I had an infected heel, another time an infection between my toes (had stepped on a nail), both times ended up with red lines going up my leg. Had to stay home from school each time, soaking my foot in epson salts for an hour, out an hour, in an hour, etc. thoughout the day, took a week for the red lines to go away. Years later my son had a similar infection with a red line going up his leg, doctor gave him a shot, I gave him medication through the night, the next day he was cured. Seemed like a miracle, compared to what I'd gone through. Hope we don't end up with epson salt soaks again.

[Kingshakabobo]

28. Your post reminds me of my mother warning me about....

.....infections and "red lines running up your leg." As a kid, I never understood the big fear so I would laugh. I guess laughter was a luxury of growing up with antibiotics.

[Horse with no Name]

31. It's going to get a LOT worse

Years ago I worked in a Pediatrician office. The hospital I worked for purchased it and put rent-a-docs in it because they couldn't find anyone full time that was willing to move to the area at that time.
Every month we had a new doc. Patients complained about the ones who used antibiotics judiciously and raved about the ones that showered them.
I remember in particular one physician that was trained in Cuba. She, IMHO, was one of the best docs that they ever had. She leaned towards natural remedies for things like constipation and rashes, and was very astute and definitive on diagnosing viral vs. bacterial infections and was very rigid in dispensing the antibiotics. She NEVER prescribed these antihistamines and cold medicines that we now know are harmful to kids. She attempted to educate the parents WHY she wasn't prescribing. They HATED her. They had more complaints on her and never allowed her to come back. Simply because she wouldn't give in to their pressure. She had the best interests of the kids in mind without a doubt but it wasn't what the parents wanted.

[Ghost in the Machine]

26. I believe that all these "antibacterial" soaps and "germ killers" like Lysol

and such products are what CAUSE the bacteria to mutate. Survival of the fittest.. or evolution of the bacterial chain.

But that's just my 2 cents worth

[sharp_stick]

29. They sure don't help the issue

but the two biggest causes are the overprescription and demand for antibiotics for non-bacterial diseases and misuse of antibiotics for bacterial diseases.

People with the flu complain and the Dr. gives them an antibiotic which of course is totally useless but it's too much of a pain in the ass for the Dr. to explain it to the guy in the office so he gives him a script anyway.

The guy in the office, if he does need the antibiotic for a real infection, starts to feel better after only taking about 1/2 of the pills and so tosses the rest away. This is the big one, any bacteria not quite killed by the antibiotic can much more easily develop a mutation that causes them to become resistant to that antibiotic. It's a nice simple way to make antibiotic mutants in the lab or your body.

[Avalux]

33. I agree with you.

We need to remember bacteria and other single-celled organisms are "living" - they want to survive as much as we do and they adapt to their environment.

[BlackVelvet04]

12. While studies are still preliminary....

there is evidence to suggest that oil of oregano is a natural antibiotic which bacteria cannot develop a resistance to. More studies are needed but of course the pharmaceuticals aren't interested in studying oil of oregano. There's enough evidence that I would try it if synthetic antibiotics failed.

Silverbiotics also looks promising according to preliminary studies.

Here are some links re: studies of oil of oregano.

[AZBlue]

36. One thing that would help is to STOP overusing antibiotics.

They are requested and given for everything under the sun, things that are non-bacterial. Antibiotics are self-defined - they fight bacteria. If it's not a bacterial infection, don't take an antibiotic.

[Ilsa]

3. Awe, geez. That poor boy and his family. How heartbreaking.

There are some nasty bugs out there. Amoebas in warm lake water, and another nasty bug in saltwater that has resulted, IIRC, some leg amputations of wading fishermen.

[Horse with no Name]

4. I've written on this before

the community acquired staph is getting bad out there. We are seeing an enormous increase in the hospitals.
I would strongly suggest carrying antibacterial wipes in their purse and wiping down shopping carts before placing their children in them. Each and every cut should be washed out and Neosporin on it and covered with a bandaid when you go out in public. If you aren't going out, then not so much. Handwashing handwashing and more handwashing.
I know there is a crowd of folks here that thinks that is over-the-top, but it's getting really bad out there EVERYWHERE and people are going to have to start protecting themselves from it.

[earthboundmisfit]

11. Or putting your FOOD and other purchases in the cart

for that matter. I saw a news bit a couple yaers back about how germy the carts are. The store where I usually shop has Lysol wipes by the cart area for customers to use on the carts. Even with that, I still line at least the top basket with their ad papers, or bags from produce. Sounds phobic, but an ounce of prevention...

[theNotoriousP.I.G.]

14. antibacterial wipes might be one of the reasons

why we see these drug resistant bacterias in the first place. By all means wash and treat open wounds with appropriate first aid but the anti-biotic craze we've seen in the United States in the last 15 years is most likely the cause of medically resistant strains.

[Horse with no Name]

16. You are probably 100% correct BUT

the problem is here now and we have to protect ourselves from it.
Also the parents that drag their kids to the pediatrician and aren't happy unless they leave with a bottle of pink medicine has been a huge contribution to this.

[CottonBear]

20. My doctor says to use plain soap & hot water and non-anti-bacterial hand wipes

and to wash thoroughly and often. I use a clean towel or tissue to turn off fuacets and open doors after washing my hands in pulbic restrooms.

[DemoTex]

15. Community-acquired MRSA is rampant in Georgia, Texas, and California.

So says the CDC. Over 60% of all staph infections treated in Austin, Texas ERs were reported to be MRSA.

My 85 year old mother was hospitalized in Atlanta for eight weeks last spring with a MRSA abscess on her back (and shingles of the esophagus). She almost died of the combination punch.

A friend in Spartanburg had a MRSA sinus infection that was originally mis-diagnosed. He finally got a PICC tube and an eight-week course of Vancomycin. After a nine month ordeal, he was finally declared infection free last week.

[CottonBear]

25. I got it in Georgia and there were 17 other cases in my town at the same time

according to the local health department infectious disease specialist that my doctor consulted to determine what kind of antibiotics I would need.

I know of 5 other people in different Southeastern cities and towns who got MRSA at the same time as me.

[silverlib]

17. Delete - wrong place

[Horse with no Name]

21. There are wipes that kill staph ON SURFACES but not once it is on the skin.

You have to find that particular type. The shopping cart isn't a "host" for the germ. It just sits there waiting until a host comes along.

[CottonBear]

18. I got community aquired MRSA. I almost had to be hospitalized. Still have the scar.

It was horrible and incredibly painful. :(

I wash my hands all the time and I carry anti-bacterial wipes and hand gel everywhere.


:scared:

[Deja Q]

24. Quite the contrary; it's constant exposure TO anti-bacterial solutions that builds immunity.

Just as how allergy shots are constituted of the very allergens that make people sick. The shots' dosage are increased over a period of time, as the person getting them acclimates to the current dosage.

What you suggest would only make the problem worse. And would be far more disastrous in the long run than nuclear war.

The same goes for ANY disease that can build drug-resistant strains.

Avoidance seems the more logical alternative, but if one has to battle a malignancy head-on, it must be done swiftly and with everything one has got.

[Horse with no Name]

27. If you live in an area such as I do

with rampant MRSA, you have to do it or run the risk of ending up in the hospital with it.
When I say we have it everywhere, I mean, we have 3-4 month old INFANTS being hospitalized with it.
It's better at this point to have to overuse the antibacterial wipes than have to overuse the Vanc.
That's where our area is NOW.

[WinkyDink]

39. Neosporin has a cute little carry-pack, also. Complete with band-aids!

I take this issue extremely seriously.

[Arkansas Granny]

8. One of the guys that I work with had what he thought was a pimple

on his chest a couple of weeks ago. It started getting painful when his shirt rubbed it so he was treating it with first aid cream and putting a bandaid on it. Last week he woke up to find several small holes scattered across his chest (he said it looked like he'd been hit with buckshot) and went to the doctor. It was a staph infection and had he waited another day he would have more than likely required hospitalization and IV antibiotics. The doctors told him he was very lucky indeed.

[fedupinBushcountry]

9. My son

teaches at Menchville HS in Newport News and they have 4 students and one teacher who have come down with it. He has his softball girls in Fall training right now and will not let them near the gym. The students effected are all football players.

So far he said everyone is doing fine, I haven't heard from him today but it is quite scary.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21272585/">Story here

[StarryNite]

13. Something worth trying

This is something worth considering if you do get a stubborn staph infection.

Researchers at the University of Waikato in New Zealand have found that honey's antibacterial activity can even stop the growth of MRSA bacteria. They've also shown that honey has no adverse effects on healthy tissue and can be safely inserted into cavities and sinuses to clear infection. Don't try this with ordinary supermarket honey. Two medicinal honeys available commercially include manuka honey from New Zealand and Medihoney from Australia.

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/id/QAA400131

[Mend]

34. Honey works and also Silvadene cream...which contains silver which is anti-bacterial.

and good on the skin.

[BlackVelvet04]

19. According to local news, Bedford will be closing all schools tomorrow

in order to deep clean them.

[Bluerthanblue]

22. so sad, a 4yr old died here yesterday as well-

from drug resistant staph- not sure if it was the 'super resistant' one yet.



http://www.seacoastonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071016/NEWS/71016013

[Thirtieschild]

30. A friend on chemo is developing staph infections at chemo needle sites

Just had lunch with her, each chemo site looks awful. Very scary, keep thinking about OMC's Stacey.

[BellaB]

32. Alot of jails are also

fighting MRSA. The one I work at has information, signs of infection, what it looks like, etc... all over the booking area as well as the cellblocks. I cut my had pretty bad at work 2 weeks ago, when i went up to the nurse she said to KEEP IT COVERED and keep it clean. Luckly I had no issues as it is almost healed now.

[Mutineer]

35. According to another thread making the rounds here at DU

this is just another attempt by the powers that be to scare us, that no real staph epidemic exists. Try telling that to people I know who've gotten it too or the local schools and jails in my area that had to be cleaned because of the spread of staph infections trace to them.

[BellaB]

42. Exactly

which is why when I cut my hand like I did, instead of just wrapping it up at my desk, I went up to the nurse to get it cleaned out properly. Hurt like hell, but, no infection.

[earthboundmisfit]

37. Anyone heard of this? Active ingredient silver dihydrogen citrate

This was from Feb. 2007 - I'm going to try & see if I can find out if it's still working for them:

Tulsa County Jail Eradicates Long-Standing Staph Problem: No New Cases in 5 Months With Use of Staph Attack Disinfectant

TULSA, Okla., Feb. 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Enviroguard Technologies, LLC, distributors of Staph Attack(TM), a new hard surface disinfectant containing PURE Bioscience's (OTC: PURE) (BULLETIN BOARD: PURE) patented silver dihydrogen citrate, announced reports of outstanding success with the surface disinfectant that kills resistant forms of Staph. Tulsa County Jail reports that since the introduction of the product in August of last year, the jail has completely eliminated Staph infections, including MRSA, a resistant form of Staph.

The jail, with its 1700 cells and more than 1500 inmates, had historically faced challenges with a resistant form of Staph known as Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA). Prior to use of the new disinfectant, the facility experienced, on average, 12 cases of Staph infection every month. According to Tulsa County Sheriff, Stanley Glanz, "We have been using Staph Attack for five months and have eliminated the reoccurrence of Staph infections in the facility. We are pleased to have created a healthier environment and at the same time save money."

As part of its regular cleaning and maintenance program, the jail now uses Staph Attack to disinfect booking areas, bathrooms, counter tops, cells and mattresses. Using Staph Attack has provided time and cost savings: The 24 hour residual protection offered by the product, combined with the lowest possible level of toxicity as defined by the EPA, means less frequent applications and no need for protective wear such as gloves and masks.

more at link
http://sev.prnewswire.com/biotechnology/20070208/CLTH10608022007-1.html

[Avalux]

40. Yes, works well on hard surfaces as an antimicrobicide.

Can't use it to treat the infection once someone has it though. One of the problems with MRSA - people can walk around for months with the bacteria before exhibiting symptoms; once it colonizes symptoms progress rapidly.

[WinkyDink]

38. MORAL of the story: ALWAYS assume it's MRSA! Get TESTED ASAP!

[Cetacea]

41. CA-MRSA. "Community acquired" . New and improved form.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06020/641543.stm


"But the new form -- known as community-associated methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, or CA-MRSA -- has a distinct package of resistance genes. Once it gets going, CA-MRSA can't always be reversed by antibiotics. It produces a nasty poison that kills white blood cells used to fight infection and destroys the body's tissue. Especially alarming to doctors, the strain is circulating in the broad community, striking healthy patients often seemingly at random."


"Researchers studying staph say they are hamstrung by limited funds. Officials have also been slow to publicize the disease. The CDC held an expert meeting on the subject in summer 2004 but is only now editing the proceedings of that meeting for publication this spring. It has posted some information on its Web site. Surveillance is limited because the federal government and most states don't require doctors to report such cases."