# Is MERSA Now A Part Of Flu?



## Meerkat (May 31, 2011)

My friends 39 yr old step son just died Friday from MERSA he thought he had the flu and for a couple days then he got headaches and in a few days he was dead from this horrible disease. No warning they buried him yesterday.

I heard some in Texas have also died from this who also thought they had the flu.


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## ContinualHarvest (Feb 19, 2012)

MRSA is a bacteria strain that is resistant to antibioticsMRSA, the "flu" is a virus Flu. Having a flu virus can lower the effectiveness of the immune system allowing MRSA to present itself more forcefully. But one would have to be exposed to both in order to become infected. Also, influenza is the more severs disease and is often confused with the common cold virus http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_cold


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## tsrwivey (Dec 31, 2010)

MRSA is a staff bacteria infection, but a kind that the commonly used antibiotic (methicillin) doesn't kill. MRSA is all over the place now & everyone has likely come into contact with it already. It usually enters the body through open wounds, the body fights it successfully & it never spreads. A person with MRSA that is spreading, as well as any other nonlocalized bacterial or viral infection, will have the general symptoms of the body fighting off infection (fever, tired, feel bad). Once any infection goes to the bloodstream it's bad news.


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## Country Living (Dec 15, 2009)

I don't know the medical details; however, in several cases in Texas the flu and pneumonia seem to go hand-in-hand.


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## tsrwivey (Dec 31, 2010)

Country Living said:


> I don't know the medical details; however, in several cases in Texas the flu and pneumonia seem to go hand-in-hand.


Yep, pneunonia commonly follows flu. Flu is the gift that keeps on giving


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## Country Living (Dec 15, 2009)

Have you noticed a subtle change in the death reports to the media in Texas? No longer is there an "underlying conditions were present" statement. I wish the media would report if the person received a flu shot; however, my better half says it would be problematic to report deaths if the person had the flu shot... may make people think twice about getting it. 

T, you're in the medical field.... are you seeing flu / pneumonia in people who were vaccinated?


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## dixiemama (Nov 28, 2012)

My mother was just diagnosed with Flu type A. She didn't have the flu shot. E and I had swine flu in 2009 and I've never felt so bad. That's the last time we were sick. Thankfully, she has tamiflu and is on the mend. 

It is on the rise in KY, at least my part of it. 

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## professor (Nov 19, 2012)

dixiemama said:


> My mother was just diagnosed with Flu type A. She didn't have the flu shot. E and I had swine flu in 2009 and I've never felt so bad. That's the last time we were sick. Thankfully, she has tamiflu and is on the mend.
> 
> It is on the rise in KY, at least my part of it.
> 
> Sent from my MB886 using Survival Forum mobile app


'Well people catch viruses, sick people get bacterial infections' was an old saying in the 50's, and it remains pretty accurate all these years later. People get the flu and it plays havoc with their immune system. They get opportunistic infections, which are usually pneumonias, and sometimes that kills them. Back in the day, it was typically staph, but not resistant staph like MRSA. The problem now is MRSA and it is deadly if it becomes systemic. We lose a dozen or so children every year in bad flu epidemics and about 80% have a pneumonia superimposed on the flu. I know many people dont like the vaccine, but I take it every year and am surrounded by kids who come in with it and haven't had the flu in over 20 years! It may be built up immunity from gross overexposure, but I never take a chance - I have a bad heart and must minimize my risk. And, yes, I could stop taking care of very sick children, but I do it well and I love it. Hand sanitize, stay away fron people who have or get vaccinated - flu kills with impunity - it doesnt care how old you are.


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## tsrwivey (Dec 31, 2010)

Country Living said:


> Have you noticed a subtle change in the death reports to the media in Texas? No longer is there an "underlying conditions were present" statement. I wish the media would report if the person received a flu shot; however, my better half says it would be problematic to report deaths if the person had the flu shot... may make people think twice about getting it.





Country Living said:


> T, you're in the medical field.... are you seeing flu / pneumonia in people who were vaccinated?


So far, so good. There is another virus going around though that's been really tough on my little patients. Similar to the flu but attacks primarily the lungs. I hate cold & flu season! Landed one of my babies in the hospital back on the ventilator :gaah: she's fine now but that virus was sure tough.

Reports are kinda sketchy. Between patient confidentiality & the media's desire for attention grabbing headlines, it's hard to find the real facts. You used to see someone from the hospital make the statement, but I haven't seen that happen in forever. The media seems to want to give you just enough information to peak your curiosity then have you stay tuned for further details or go to their website.

The vaccines aren't 100% effective but if a vaccinated person gets the flu, it should be mild. That's the theory, anyway. I haven't heard of someone vaccinated getting sick but the season is still young & this strand seems to be pretty tough.


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## VoorTrekker (Oct 7, 2012)

Why stay away from people who get vaccinated?


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## CulexPipiens (Nov 17, 2010)

We just found out a friend's kid had flu symptoms really bad for a week. They went to the hospital and the kid was diagnosed with flu and strep AND leukemia. One set of symptoms can be the result of multiple things as they just found out. Good news is that their child is responding quite well to a combination of tamiflu and chemo.


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## dixiemama (Nov 28, 2012)

Friends baby is 2 wks old. Had bad stomach pains, gas and constipation so she switched formula. He didn't tolerate that so she switched again. Now he's hospitalized, pale, fever and they don't know why. All tests are negative. 

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## Woody (Nov 11, 2008)

Who knows what is going around these days. With everyone taking vaccinations, using antibacterial scrubs and trying to KILL these germs, they get worse as they adapt to all the preventative measures.

I was a firm believer that your body has to be exposed to germs and flu's on a regular basis to help you develop antibodies to them. Not so much these days. By the time I get exposed to something it has already mutated into something that regular measures will not help.

Excluding the major flu outbreaks that authorities like to point out, we ALL used to 'catch the bug' at flu time. Yeah, you would be sick for a day or two, like everyone else, but you got better. The next round that year that the original one 'mutated into' not many folks got hit, by the third round only a few folks got sick. *I believe*, and this is only my belief mind you, is that we are exposing ourselves, AND our food supply to so many preventative measures that any 'bug' that develops quickly adapts to the antibiotics available. These 'bugs' are looking to survive by adapting!

Back when I had a regular job, when I worked around mothers who had children in school, in the fall someone always has a child home sick. A day or two later they would be out sick for a day or two, a day or two later I came down with something. Just the way it goes. Maybe I had to take a day off, usually not more than one. The next round that made the circuit, the mothers (AND fathers!) would not miss a day, just take turns caring for sick children. I also rarely got sick the second time around.

I did notice that the people who fanatically washed with antibacterial soaps and hand washes got it worse then the rest of us, they took days or a week off.

This summer I was laid off (due to the recovery). My only exposure to folks is the grocery store, dog park and maybe a few other stores buying essentials. No way the usual every day, kids at school bringing home bacteria type exposures. I had a sore throat one evening, unusual as although I smoke (tobacco) I hadn't had one since I can remember. I dug into supplies and had some throat spray, which greatly alleviated the symptoms. Next morning I had kind of a sinus headache and was off my feed. By the evening I could not hold anything down and the headache had turned full blown. Not a migraine but unpleasant. I pounded teas and orange juice and still had trouble sleeping with a double dose of Valerian tea. Went to the tinctures early in the am and rested restlessly. Bottom line, I fought this thing for about 3 days with another day or two of Portnoy's complaint. It had been a LONG time since anything had attacked me like that. Again *I believe* that being locked in my own little world and only occasionally exposed to what 'bug' is going around, my antibodies were not up to date.

As far as 'scientists' and 'researchers' working to develop 'N9H7' or whatever, so they can find a way to vaccinate against it, it is only a matter of time before it gets out of hand.


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## Jim1590 (Jul 11, 2012)

Woody, wish I could like your post a few times. I think your right on. People need to be exposed to the germs. Kids need to eat dirt. People need to let their bodies learn and adapt to the little bugs so the are more prepared when the big one comes by for a visit.

dixiemama. Just a guess, but it the baby is having a problem voiding (peeing) and is constipated then part of the problem is that those toxins are not getting out of the body. So possibly that is the problem causing these symptoms. Just a guess mind you but plausible without more info. 

OP MRSA is as different from the flu as apples and oranges. They are similar as they are both illnesses but MRSA never goes away, you can carry it perfectly healthy (most healthcare providers in metro areas probably have it, but it does not effect them as they are "healthy") and is very difficult to treat. MRSA is one of, if not the leading cause of hospital induced illness or death (this includes nursing facilities). MRSA is bad news but it is one of those things that sometimes you really cannot control. Like getting hit by that car while sitting in your room on the second floor. Rare, but it does happen....


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

Woody said:


> Who knows what is going around these days. With everyone taking vaccinations, using antibacterial scrubs and trying to KILL these germs, they get worse as they adapt to all the preventative measures.
> 
> I was a firm believer that your body has to be exposed to germs and flu's on a regular basis to help you develop antibodies to them. Not so much these days. By the time I get exposed to something it has already mutated into something that regular measures will not help.
> 
> ...


#1 reason I don't get any vaccines. Roo does only because I can space them out(read delay) and CPS will get involved if she doesn't get them at all. I have had a few calls from them when Roo was really little about not getting her vaccines "on time". Not fun.

I have made K get the flu shot in the past because he is the one who gets sick and is out for 2-3 weeks.

We all have a cold right now and Roo and I are getting better while K is getting worse. Plus he has had it a week longer than us...!


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## tsrwivey (Dec 31, 2010)

Woody said:


> I did notice that the people who fanatically washed with antibacterial soaps and hand washes got it worse then the rest of us, they took days or a week off.


Kinda makes you wonder if the fanatics became fanatics *because* they tend to catch everything going around or if their *fanaticism* causes them to catch everything. Probably a which came first, the chicken or the egg type question.

Even though I work with sick kids, most of whom are MRSA positive, I don't take many precautions to protect myself. My thinking is if I haven't gotten it in all these years, I probably won't get it. I'm 40 & I had the flu only once for 1-2 days my entire life. For whatever reason, it just doesn't like me. I sure wish I could give my immunity to my patients.


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## Jim1590 (Jul 11, 2012)

tsrwivey sounds like you are from the deep end of the gene pool. My boss is the same way. He would eat food of the floor in a filthy warehouse without batting an eye. Can only remember him being sick once or twice in 3 years.


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## Woody (Nov 11, 2008)

I remember we had the 'kids eating dirt' discussion a while ago. I'm a firm believer in it. I give crops a short rinse from the hose right in the garden and munch them down, it is good for ya.

I don't know what to do about my current exposures to seasonal 'bugs' though. It isn't like an unemployed, bearded guy in his late 50's can go to a daycare or school and ask to pet some children so he can get exposed to whatever bugs are around to build up antibodies. If I followed children (or their parents) around a store touching things after they did, I might not be able to talk my way into getting bail set!!! Maybe I'll just have to plan on spending a few hours a week at one of the box stores, wandering around breathing in air and touching things.


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## dirtgrrl (Jun 5, 2011)

Some good friends of mine have two adopted children; one born in the US and the other born in Guatemala. They are both about the same age, but they didn't get the Guatemalan boy until he was about 18 months old. The three American born family members seem to catch everything that goes around, and the boy just doesn't get anything. If he does get sick, he bounces right back like nothing ever happened. Gotta love a third-world immune system ...


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