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Just last week in Frisco, Texas, just North of Dallas, another case of MRSA (methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus) was reported.  It is of concern as more strains of bacteria are apparently becoming resistant to more antibiotics which means it will be more difficult and more costly to treat what was once simple bacterial infections.  It was reported that approximately 1.7 million people every year contract a hospital borne bacterial infection which results in approximately 90,000 deaths every year.  Why is this happening and what can we do?

1. The Problem: Look at most liquid soaps that people use and you will usually see the word antibacterial on the container.  A common additive is a compound called triclosan.  The FDA is currently investigating its use as a antibacterial agent.  The Solution:  Wash your hands using many of the soaps which are not antibacterial and wash them in hot water.  Even though most people already have bacteria on their skin they do not cause problems unless our immune system is impaired or we are infected with a resistant strain of bacteria.

2.  The Problem: Lazy doctors.  Have you or someone you've known been prescribed antibiotics for an infection and when it didn't work prescribed another round of a different antibiotic? The Solution:  Have your doctor run a culture and sensitivity (C&S) on the infection site.  The culture portion (which many doctors perform)  informs the doctor what type of bacteria they are dealing with.  The problem is that most doctors stop there.  The sensitivity portion, which takes approximately 24 hours more, tells the doctor which antibiotics will work against the infection and which they are resistant to.

 For example, back in 1974 when I was working at a hospital laboratory, I had a severe strep (streptococcus) infection of my throat.  The emergency room doctor did me a favor and gave me an injection of penicillin and a oral prescription.  The throat cleared up for three days before becoming worse again.  The doctor followed up twice more, ever increasing the injection, until I wised up and did a C&S myself.  Turned out I had a strep infection which was resistant to penicillin but sensitive to erythromycin.  Ten days later, with the erythromycin gone so was my sore throat.

3. The Problem: Unsuspecting patients when given a prescription for antibiotics often start feeling better after 3-5 days and stop taking the antibiotics so they can save them for a later date.  Worst thing you can do as you have only killed the weakest of the bacteria and may have allowed the remaining bacteria to mutate or become resistant to that specific antibiotic.  The Solution: There's a reason most prescriptions are for ten days.  To kill all the bacteria.  Take the prescription as written.  (Note: some antibiotics can be taken for less than ten days so abide by the prescription and finish it).

 4. The Problem:  Lazy doctors (Part II).  It was more frequent in the past but many doctors use to give antibiotics who had a severe cold or virus.  WRONG.  The drugs are called antibiotics not antivirals.  Antibiotics do not kill viruses.  However, if you are immune deficient AND your doctor is giving you a prescription for antibiotics to prevent a secondary infection from a bacteria then it may make some sense.  But realistically why prescribe something for something you don't have? The Solution: If your doctor writes a prescription for an antibiotic ask what type of bacterial infection he suspects, or better yet, knows that you have.  If he says it's only a virus either tear up the prescription, get a new doctor, or both.