Superbugs - Nightmare Bacteria on the increase

[link to news.yahoo.com]


CRE Enterobacteriaceae- 70 species, live in soil, water, and human digestive system ( such as E. coli.), kill up to 50% of pts with bloodstream infections from them.

"Northeastern states report the most cases of CRE, which "is prevalent in a number of hospitals in the New York area," said Dr Arjun Srinivasan, CDC's associate director for healthcare-associated infection prevention programs....
Only six states require healthcare providers to report cases of CRE to public health authorities.
Last month, CDC reported that unusual forms of CRE - with such exotic names as New Delhi Metallo-beta-lactamase and Verona Integron-mediated Metallo-beta-lactamase - are becoming more common in the United States. Of the 37 unusual forms ever identified, the last 15 have been reported since July....
The germs can easily pass their antibiotic resistance - contained in a speck of genetic material - to other kinds of germs, making additional kinds of bacteria potentially untreatable as well, CDC said."

15 new unusual forms since July? certainly a case for good hand washing

already anyone entering our local hospital who has been in a nursing facility or another hospital within a certain time frame is supposed to have a nasal swab to detect MRSA. The patient is to be under contact precautions until results are available. John Hopkins put out an interesting report on hospital vs community acquired strains. [link to www.eurekalert.org]