wellnesscenterusa.comPosted on 11/30/2007 by Susan Quinn, R.N., B.S.N.
With the increase in international travel, increasing population, and over-use of antibiotics, a serious threat to our health has occurred. Within the last few years we have seen the emergence of several new strains of drug-resistant infections. It.s extremely important for today.s women to become informed and aware of these conditions in order to protect herself and her loved ones.
Obviously the most widely publicized infection in recent months, MRSA (a Staph infection of the skin and soft tissue) remains a serious but avoidable threat. This illness can cause severe symptoms including a skin lesion or abscess, fever, and lethargy. This infection often presents as a boil or abscess, and people frequently recall a .spider bite.. The involved site is red, swollen, and painful and may have pus or other drainage. Staph infections also can cause more serious infections, such as blood stream infections or pneumonia, leading to symptoms of shortness of breath, fever, and chills. Factors that have been associated with the spread of MRSA skin infections include close skin-to-skin contact, openings in the skin such as cuts or abrasions, contaminated items and surfaces, crowded living conditions, prior use of antibiotics, and poor hygiene. Research has indicated that acquiring MRSA is also associated with a poor immune-system function.
C-Diff is spread by the fecal-oral route (yes, we are talking about stool), albeit indirectly through spores left on surfaces, and causes a diarrheal illness including fever, abdominal pain, and an elevated white cell count within the blood. Most cases of C-Diff were originally caused by the use of certain antibiotics, but the origin of an emerging strain is not known. The new strain often requires more potent drugs for treatment, and many of these stronger drugs come with many side effects. So, it.s best to remain free from this illness!
Initial outbreaks of this disease started in the 1980s, and now is becoming worldwide. This strain is resistant to traditional first line medicines used successfully in the past, however can be destroyed with second-line drugs (Fluoroquinolones or Aminoglycosides). Extensively drug-resistant TB (a.k.a. XDR TB), however, does not respond to any treatment available. TB germs are put into the air when a person with TB disease of the lungs or throat coughs, sneezes, speaks, or sings. These germs can float in the air for several hours, depending on the environment. Persons who breathe in the air containing these TB germs can become infected. You can imagine what might happen if you were to sit next to an infected person on a plane or in a movie theatre. The general symptoms of TB disease include feelings of sickness or weakness, weight loss, fever, and night sweats. The symptoms of TB disease of the lungs may also include coughing, chest pain, and coughing up blood. Symptoms of TB disease in other parts of the body depend on the area affected. If you have these symptoms, you should contact your doctor or local health department right away.