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March 28th, 2011
04:42 PM ET
Superbug found in California hospitalsA deadly superbug, thought to be rare on the West Coast, is appearing in large numbers in Southern California, according to a new study. In seven months last year, there were 356 cases of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP), according to the study by the Los Angeles County Department of Health. The cases were in health care facilities such as hospitals and nursing homes. People outside such facilities were not affected. CRKP has been officially reported in 36 states, but health officials expect it’s in the 14 other states as well, where reporting is not required. Only one antibiotic, called colistin, is effective against CRKP, and it doesn’t always work and can cause kidney damage, according Dr. Arjun Srinivasan, associate director for health care associated infection prevention programs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It’s not known how many people died in L.A. County from the bacteria, but previous outbreaks have shown a 35% death rate, according to an article published in 2008 in the Journal of the American Medical Association. This is the first time CRKP has been studied in L.A. County and the infection rate was “unexpectedly high,” according to a press release by the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America. The study will be presented at the group’s annual meeting next week. The study authors noted they’re not sure why CRKP is so prevalent. “We do not know if the presence of CRKP in these long-term acute care settings is the result of improper care, or has more to do with the population they serve,” says Dr. Dawn Terashita, a medical epidemiologist with L.A. County Department of Public Health. Patients with CRKP tend to be elderly, have multiple health problems, and have a catheter or are on a respirator– foreign objects that can become breeding grounds for bacteria. Large outbreaks of CRKP have been documented in the United States, Greece, and Israel. CRKP, and other infections in the same family, are a “huge threat, precisely because of how resistant and how lethal it is, and how readily it can spread within health care facilities,” says Dr. Mitchell Schwaber, director of Israel’s National Center for Infection Control. Some hospitals have seen infection rates decline when they enforce staff hand washing rules, remove ventilators and catheters as quickly as possible, and take other precautions. Patients and their families can help decrease the risk of infection by asking staff to wash their hands and by following other Empowered Patient tips for staying safe in the hospital. CNN's Miriam Falco contributed to this report
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Get a behind-the-scenes look at the latest stories from CNN Chief Medical Correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen and the CNN Medical Unit producers. They'll share news and views on health and medical trends - info that will help you take better care of yourself and the people you love.
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No amount of handwashing is going to change things. Germaphobia is not the answer. 99.99% of what we catch is airborne. It's the garbage we inhale and the engineered food that we consume. Put those paper towels away. They make no difference. We have a couple of people at the office that clean their offices twice a day, run around with paper towels all day, and wash their hands entire they are raw. Guess what, they are the ones that are always sick.
Actually, in the hospital setting, this is entirely untrue. Most infections are caused by the patient's own flora being introduced into bosy sites where it should not be – gut flora getting into the urinary tract because of lack of proper hygiene or the isertion of a catheter, Staph aureus introduced into the lower respiratory tract by a ventilator. Most of this is due to the lack of handwashing, which, even at the "best" facilities is a dismal 60%.
Antibiotic resistance is not a function of geography or ethnicity. It's the direct result of careless abuse of antibiotics, and/or failure to follow guidelines for appropriate patient care. Everyone needs to accept culpabilityfor the evolution of so-called superbugs. Rampant abuse of antibiotics (in agriculture, in the clinic, in over-the-counter pharmaceuticals) fosters an environment for the development of antiobiotic resistance. Physicians and other health care providers need to use best practices in caring for patients including handwashing, not wearing loose clothing such as neckties that can mediate patient to patient transfer, and responsibly prescribing antibiotics only in cases where there is a clear indication to do so. Patients need to challenge their physicians and healthcare providers to follow best practices to prevent the development and spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria. Patients should not feel 'cheated' if they leave a physician's office without a prescription for an antibiotic.. If a patient is prescribed a course of antibiotics, they should finish the prescription instead of saving a portion of the pills for some future event. The rules are simple and easy to follow. The consequences of not following the rules....deadly.
Mostly true. Except that bacteria will always outsmart humans. Antimicrobials PERIOD will cause a selection toward resistance which is unavoidable, judicious use or not. Inappropriate use will only hasten this process.
The blind chase for killing bacteria and viruses is untenable since they mutate constantly. Even if we were to ignore safety concerns around vaccines, they could still never cope with all the genetic variability. Microbes do not cause disease but appear on scene as opportunists and passers by. Yet every time a new virus pops up on the medical radar, billions of dollars are poured into discovering its genetic fingerprint and attacking its DNA. Viruses that have existed since millenia are turned into evil monsters overnight by a fear mongering scientific community and the media. The fact that it is our body’s natural immune system that keeps it protected from the never ending swarm of foreign bodies is grossly overlooked. A mundane health issue is immediately externalized, complexified and commoditized. Modern western medicine has failed, get over it. People have survived polio, measles in the past or else humans wouldn't have survived the last 1 million years. Obviously some of them did something right. Learn it – its called AYURVEDA.
We are totally at the mercy of our medical personnel to do the right thing just as we are at the mercy of cooks and waiters preparing our food to wash the fecal matter from their hands before it enters our wounds or mouths.
My father died of this type of bacterial infection in October 2009. It was originally though that he had staph. He was on a respirator, had multiple health problem, and was in a crappy hospital in Marshall, Texas for too long before we could get him transferred to a better on ine Shreveport. The bacteria is so highly evolved that it actually has a pump-like feature that spits the antibiotics back out. The bacteria can also mask other bacterias that may be present. He had 11different antibiotics before the doctors found one hat worked, but by then it was too late.
there are a lot of people on here who have NOOOO idea what is going on. zero clue. why do doctors overprescribe antibiotics? because they are afraid of being sued. if you go to see the doctor with the flu, that's a virus that can't be treated by antibiotics. but what if, though unlikely, you contract pneumonia in your immune system's weakened state? some overprotective mom is going to come in and sue the sh!t out of that doctor for NOT prescribing antibiotics the first time, even though antibiotics would more than likely do nothing except kill good bacteria and make the health insurance companies richer.
It's a sad world when patients and their families have to ask hospital staff to wash their hands. In my extreme naivety, I just kind of assumed that was a given. I guess "Introduction to Handwashing 1A" is not a mandatory course in nursing school or med school.
Actually, proper handwashing technique IS taught to us healthcare workers. Reminders are sent out all the time about handwashing just so no one can so "oh, i didn't know", yeah it's common sense but the hospital has to do it for preventative measures. It's not always docs & nurses fault these bugs get spread. You obviously failed to think about the fact that patients get visitors who are not required to wash their hands and never wear gloves....
I bet this product would work on it, doTERRA Onguard. I hope someone tests it with ongaurd, I think they will be pleasantly surprised. Many hospitals have used it with MRSA and it has been tested and killed the bacteria http://doterraglobal.com
doTERRA Ongaurd Essential Oil. Someone should try it. I am sure the results would be positive. http://mydoterra.com/37049/
I used to work as a cook in a restaurant. We washed our hands frequently with soap and water. Every time you enter the kitchen, you have to wash your hands. We also kept everything clean. I go to some restaurants and see people handling money and then handling the food, and I don't know how they get past the health inspectors.
Money is FILTHY. At the casino where I worked the girls in the count room were always getting sores on their hands. Always wash your hands after handling money.
Sharp: Sure it was the money? LOL!
Science is just now beginning to understand the many varied & useful bacteria that grow in the human gut. Families have their own strains of organisms. Most of them cannot be cultured in vitro so they have always been ignored by medicine. Do not ever, ever take antibiotics by mouth unless you absolutely have to. In extreme cases the good strains of bacteria are so messed up that a person can lose their health permanently. The only cure for this is to be re inoculated by a family member. Make the doctor give you your antibiotics by injection. your intestinal flora are too valuable to risk.
Grandma didn't want to be kept alive on a ventilator but she never told you. She wanted to live her life and not become a breeding ground for superbugs, as she is fed through a tube from now on. Families that think death can somehow be beaten? Discuss your wishes with your family and get it in writing now...
I don't trust Doctors, hospitals, or health care facilities because they are a part of the "health care meat market". Process 'em like cattle. Get 'em in, get 'em out and charge so much per pound. Then at the end of the day, get in your Porsche and head to your quiet little mansion. Life is good in the health care industry.
Thank you for characterizing my chosen calling as mere avarice. The next time you or a loved one becomes seriously ill, you should probably make sure that you don't have the misfortune to show up in my ER. I might be too busy talking to my broker to attend to your needs.
There is a new product that tracks handw ashing and reminds the staff to wash. Hospitals in FL are already implementing it. Watch this video to see how it works. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zWD7aPeyrA
I dont think antibiotics increase the population of superbugs. The mechanics of an increase of a bio type caused by the killing of the weaker bio type is due to 2 causes –
1. more chances to mate since the weaker organisms have been killed. Obviously this cannot happen with germs since germs dont mate.
2. more food supply since the weaker organisms have been killed. This also does not apply since germs do not have a limited food supply.
They knew it was a super bug because of the big S on its cape.
Quit using triclosan =)
Interesting timing, with plutonium leaking into the soil (and maybe the water?) across the ocean. California, don't worry about plutonium..quick! Look here! Superbug!
I would just like to point out that a bacterium resistant to vancomycin and carbepenem does not get that way because of too many amoxicillin prescriptions for Junior's possible ear infections in the community. ICU's typically apply a "shotgun" approach to treating infections in critically ill patients. Rather than target the most likely pathogens, doctors are essentially forced to treat for all possible pathogens. To do otherwise would be to invite lawsuits. By demanding every possibly helpful intervention, patients in this country are as responsible as providers for both "superbugs" and the escalating costs of health care.
FYI peeps: Nurses are the most meticulous human being ever made. I took care of my Dad in a hospital and witnessed how voraciously every single nurse use sanitizer (obviously they detest germs creeping up their skin) , and I was fascinated about it.
When my husband's Mom was looking for a home for her mother in 08, we checked out some local nursing homes. Most were good and seemed clean but one was horriblehttp://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/.element/img/3.0/1px.gif. The stench of urine was so strong in the main hallway and the patient's rooms that I could not wait to leave. Obviously this facility was not clean so it doesn't surprise me at all that this bug is being spread in nursing homes. There should be laws against filthy nursing homes being allowed to stay in business
no doubt imported from Mexico...
Superflu is here, better known out there on the West Coast as "Captain Trips."
zombie uprising.. glowing or non-glowing zombies?
Definitely glowing. They're more fun to watch explode once you bust out the MK-19 (aka, fully automatic grenade launcher).
now if we could just choose who to infect...
dirty people, dirty hospitals, dirty workers. wash your hands dirty people.
well at least u didnt blame mexicans.
U sound like the type that fears dirt yet pushes a carriage around like its clean yet is worse than a toilet
Zionist, as a person who knows someone who is an expert in microbial pathogenesis, I can tell you these superbugs are not being born from dirty hospitals. Overuse of antibiotics (especially), antibacterial cleaning products, etc. create these superbugs, because the few remaining microbes that survive develop a resistance to whatever it was they were exposed to. The Norwegians have figured this out, and staph infections in hospitals are virtually non-existent. http://www.newsmaxhealth.com/health_stories/superbug_solution/2010/01/04/304442.html
Interesting. When my mom was in a nursing home in CA before I brought her home she suffered several bladder infections that were identified as K. pneumoniae. And this was 7 years ago! Wonder if this is the same strain. No way to keep nosocomial infections from running rampant with the current turnover in workers and lack of infection control standards.
It was probably not the same strain. K. pneumoniae can have a wide array of resistance patterns and some are susceptible to even simple amoxicillin. Even if it was the same, bacteria in the urine are usually easier to treat since antibiotics concentrate in the urine.
As far as nosocomial infection increases, you're right! We need better infection control practices in the US. Hopefully we'll keep getting better at eliminating these nasty bugs from the health care environment!
Not surprising in the cesspool that is SoCal!
cesspool...that is awesome
Garlic !!!!!! Garlic cures !!!!!!! It worked wonders for me ! The medical industry can not make a penny off of garlic and it is one of the strongest anti-bacterial nature substances on earth.Anytime you get infection take garlic, if you have to take antibiotics prescribed from a doctor top it off with garlic. I haven't used antibiotics in 14 years. I seriously doubt it that CNN will let this post go.
Garlic works especially well if you wear a tin foil hat. I have worn a tin foil hat for years and have not been infected by the disease yet. The medical industry cannot make a penny off of tin foil either, so they will probably send their men in black suits and sunglasses to remove this post quickly. They stand to lose a lot if this truth gets out.
Erik, you are very smart. I'm happy that there are people who know and use this simple ancient strategy.
For the best results from garlic, take a fresh garlic clove and chew it. The crushing of the garlic clove releases 2 chemicals in the garlic that when combined make an antibiotic. It's not the tastiest thing but it can help get rid of colds and ex-boyfriends.
You sound like that "Natrual Cures" book author that claims big pharm is all a scam to take money and they don't want people healthy. Contrary to popular belief, because their product can be expensive, they don't want people dying (they lose money that way). What you'll have, is a bunch of dead people smelling like garlic. That said, there are some ways to strengthen your immune system and there are treatments that are natural, but this isn't one of them.
By the way, the author I mentioned, is a known con-man, but made loads of money and had a best seller. 10% of the book is common sense, and the rest is a lot of nonsense that brings harm to people that are buying into his corrupt, greedy pharm corps agenda (not that they aren't, but they aren't out to kill people).
Doctors are not out to get people. We (doctors) want our patients to be healthy – that is why we went to medical school for 4 years and then did residency for an additional 3-8 years. I love that you probably read 2 articles regarding garlic and had some friend of yours tell you that garlic works and now you are regurgitating this information as fact. People are living longer and healthier lives through the break throughs in medical science. One way we are probably living longer is that when you catch a serious bacterial infection and you take your garlic and it doesn't work, that Darwin is weeding you out.
The issue isn't only dirty people or hands it is that hospitals and nursing homes have become petri dishes. Our obsession with antibacterial solvents and becoming germ phobes is causing this issue along with overprescribing of antibiotics resulting in less resistance to infections. Having nurses constantly using anitbactierial solvents is window dressing and opens thme up for infection with dry cracked hands. As far as hospitals they close them up tight and recycle the air with no real ventilation using "filters, what do you think would happen? Open a gd window.
You hit the nail on the head. We're all going to start dying from paper cuts again if people don't stop with the worrying about every little germ and immediately running for the antibacterial products and antibiotics for their kids for every sniffle. Then they get lax and stop giving the antibiotics to the kids before the round is complete allowing these piddly little bugs to become resistent to that antibiotic. Guess what moms and dads, you're the ones creating these superbugs.
Hmmm funny how this article didn't read chlorhexidine-resistant K. pneumonia. Antibacterial handwashes and soaps actually are doing a huge part in reducing nosocomial infections. Read an article or two before you act like an expert. Do you even know what a carbapenem is? I'm guessing you think these come from a doctor's office and local pharmacy. Do you know the difference between beta lactamases and efflux pumps? No? Plasmid mediated resistance? No? Hmmmm....maybe you could read a book or two.
Yes, we need to be better stewards of systemic antimicrobials, but this is a separate issue from the antibacterial handwashes, alcohol gels, etc. Bacteria are rarely resistant to these chemicals as they completely destroy the cell membrane. And yes, opening a window will cure everything. I can't believe hospitals haven't thought of this. You sould be Surgeon General! Thanks for your "expert" opinion.
captain trips, baby
You, sir or madam, ROCK!
This is bound to happen, we are going to get super bugs sooner then later. Its called evolution!!!!!! super bugs live wimpy bugs die. idk why we think we have to live beyond 100. We all got bugs and are bound to share them. A lot of these patients I am sure are 80 years old, and hanging on for dear life or thier families are. Or have a feeding tube and half alive who end up in the hospital every 6 months and share bugs with everyone and get recurrent infections. I just wonder why? is this humane? Either we will have to keep devloping new drugs or we are just going to have to let nature rule?????
You keep letting people come into America the wrong way we will keep getting different bugs and sickness if you come into America everyone must go thru medical checks or put out of America years back is the way it was done and should stell be done no matter ho you are
Steve, where did you get your education? I'm not 100% sure what you're trying to say but you know they are talking about bacteria and viruses, right? Not bugs like bed bugs, right? Since most of these 'super bugs' are already in the U.S. how would screening foriegners help? Please learn the English Language before you criticize others. It just shows your ignorance.
This is due to the overuse of antibiotics. I work in an emergency room in
Suburban Chicago and patients come in all of the time insisting on antibiotics to cure what ails them even when it can do no help. The current state of affairs here is that patients get to "grade" their doctors and if the doctors do not just throw pills at them they are given bad scores. Isn't that a horrible way to run medicine?
I agree. I've completely avoided taking any sort of medicine for most of my life, so that when I really do need it, it's very effective and will work. My immune system is very strong because of this.
Other than vaccinations, its hard to understand why people want to take medicines all the time. I understand that medicines have saved a lot of lives and are sometimes necessary, but they also change the body's chemistry; taxing our organs which have to work hard to filter them out. They also change the make-up of the flora in our intestinal tract, causing digestive problems – and on occasion cause reactions that result in other kinds of sickness and even death.
I would think as a rule people would want to use them sparingly. The body's natural immune system is a masterful design – drugs are supplemental backup for extreme cases. I almost think that unnecessarily taking medicine all the time could weaken the body's natural order/defenses and result in more frequent sicknesses ...
This is why unless I am hemorrhaging uncontrollably, I tend to avoid hospitals.
Its a bioterroist weapon targeting israel greece and california and its timed to reach capacity by september 11 2011. a bunch of taliban ordered hand sanitazer and kept doucing bacteria and growing the survivors in petri dishes untill mutated strands killed them then the second fleet came in to deliver the goods. (sounds wild but yet still possible maybe we should do that to them vigilante style citizen warefare!)
I am amazed –and sometimes confused– how nearly every article somehow gets turned into a "This is because of all of those immigrants/blacks/jews/mexicans." But, sadly, I guess it's easier to blame it on something like that rather than apply a deeper level of thought to a problem. Nevermind the overuse of antibiotics and our society's insatiable and pathetic NEED for a quick fix in the form of a pill or syrup... Blame it on the...Mexicans. Makes absolutely no sense!
i hope this superbug wipes out everyone in california. californians are retarded.
Hi Brian:)
I work in a hospital....its disgusting in some areas...even where there isnt human waste
Just ask the health pros to wash their hands. It sounds so easy! CNN doesn't warn you that most nurses will get snippy and MDs, especially sugeons get downright insulted. I asked an ortho surgeaon who came in to wash, he said he did, out in the hall, my wife told him she just watched him walk down the hall, from another room, and no, he didn't wash. So he ripped off his gloves in a huff, washed, put the dirty gloves back on, and he was their to check a MRSA wound, and boy did he check it. He made damn sure to poke it very hard and inflict as much pain as possible for my temerity. Maybe Sanjay & Liz could address that part of the deal when they go on about the empowered patient.
Sorry this happened to you, Mark. Perhaps you and your wife need an advocate with you, a friend or relative to be there as a "caregiver" so the doc does not act badly in front of a third party. Sounds awful to have to have someone to protect you from abuse from a doctor, but these days it is wise to be as protected as possible in all situations. As a caregiver, I can tell you that there have been a number of times that it was a good thing I was there keeping a watchful eye and showing extra concern. Medical staff is usually always happy for an extra helper, though. Once again, sorry this happened to you and I hope you are healed now.
I am a caregiver for an elderly disabled lady and when I take her to Kaiser P hospital and go to the restroom, I have to wash my hands in cold water because there is no warm water. I have noticed this practice in other hospitals and think it is ridiculous. Why spend money on anti bacteria soap and no warm water? Just wondering if the restrooms in these care facilities have the warm water turned on in their bathrooms.
Show me ONE study that says yogurt helps get rid of Super Bugs! Elizabeth Cohen is an idiot and should be banned from any kind, especially health care related, reporting. She reports off of opinion, not facts. I love how she claims she knows how to "empower patients" with that stupid book she wrote. I can see every doctor and nurse rolling their eyes at her. She is actually harming people by telling them to "stand up to doctors and nurses." You don't get good healthcare that way. Nurses will avoid you as much as possible when you become a problem. In fact, hospitals are starting to get smart and "admininstratively discharge" a patient that isn't following their prescribed plan of care. So sick of non-medical professionals thinking they know everything!
Worried about MRSA and other viruses? Check out a new break through technology that has been proven to kill MRSA and other nasty unwanted bugs. http://www.airandmoldtech.com Effective and affordable for complete protection. It works!!!
Patients with CRKP tend to be elderly, have multiple health problems, and have a catheter or are on a respirator– foreign objects that can become breeding grounds for bacteria.
--------–
mamata
Hospitals
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