# Superbug What Does this Mean in Plain English?



## PeachesBackwards (Sep 8, 2015)

What does this (article) mean in plain English? Does it mean this woman will die and anyone else who gets it will die? What exactly?

"(CNN)The United States' first known case of a superbug that cannot be killed by any existing antibiotic was announced Thursday by the U.S. Department of Defense.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Tom Frieden announced the case at the National Press Club in Washington. A 49-year-old Pennsylvania woman developed a carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, or CRE, infection. It's a rare infection but one that Frieden labeled "a nightmare bacteria." It's resistant to every known antibiotic, even Colistin, which doctors sometimes use as a last resort when other antibiotics fail.

The woman went to a clinic in Pennsylvania, and a sample was forwarded to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. No other details were available, including how the woman became infected. She has not traveled outside the United States within the past five months. The bacteria have been identified in other infections outside the United States. Doctors saw a case in the United Kingdom in 2008 and cases in Italy and China.

CRE infections are incredibly difficult to treat and can quickly become deadly. One report suggests that this kind of infection can result in the deaths of half the patients who become infected. Antibiotic resistance has become a growing problem in this country. The World Health Organization has warned that it is one of the biggest threats to global health today.

Frieden warned that although this is the first CRE case in the United States, we should expect to see more such superbugs in the near future. Frieden, who often warns doctors against overuse of antibiotics, urged scientists to develop new drugs quickly. Each year in the United States, at least 2 million people become infected with other kinds of bacteria that can't be beat with most antibiotics, and at least 23,000 people die each year as a result of those infections, according to the CDC. "The medicine cabinet is empty for some patients," Frieden said. "It is the end of the road unless we act urgently."

http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/26/health/first-superbug-cre-case-in-us/index.html


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## Iafrate (Oct 9, 2013)

It means, in a nutshell, that if you get an infection in the not so distant future there is a good chance you are totally hosed. Just give it time to spread...


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## Tweto (Nov 26, 2011)

Yes, if you get it you will probably die.

Before penicillin, a huge number of people died every year from just infections. This is a big reason why most didn't live past 45 in the 1800's.

This is much more serious then what the media will let on about.


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## PeachesBackwards (Sep 8, 2015)

*OK Thanks for Explanation What Can We Do So We Don't Get this?*

What can we do to minimize our chances of getting this? IE, stay home as much as you can, wear protective gloves, clothing, have ample food supplies, etc. Could this be TEOTWAWKI?


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## ETXgal (Jul 12, 2014)

It means they better be burning the midnight oil to make new antibiotics. Even simple procedures can become life threatening, due to infections. We have known this day was coming. There are factory farms from what I hear, that routinely give the livestock antibiotics as a preventative. 
It wasn't that long ago, that if you went to a doctor, you expected to get antibiotics. They were over-prescribed, no doubt about it. These bugs become immune to antibiotics over time. The worst thing you can do, is take an antibiotic until you feel better, then don't finish the bottle. If the bug isn't killed, it becomes immune.


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## tsrwivey (Dec 31, 2010)

PeachesBackwards said:


> What can we do to minimize our chances of getting this? IE, stay home as much as you can, wear protective gloves, clothing, have ample food supplies, etc. Could this be TEOTWAWKI?


Not likely. Stay away from people with it. See previous threads on how diseases are spread & how not to get them.


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## hiwall (Jun 15, 2012)

Stay away from hospitals, doctors, and clinics. To be really safe take up the hermit life style. Make your peace with God. Or whoever you choose to worship.


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## DrPrepper (Apr 17, 2016)

PeachesBackwards said:


> What does this (article) mean in plain English? Does it mean this woman will die and anyone else who gets it will die? What exactly?


OK, before everyone panics.......

Superbugs are simply germs (bacteria) that have developed resistance to specific antibiotics. There are two ways this can happen. The first way is for germs that normally live in your body (there are billions of them!) to become overexposed to antibiotics. When that happens, the germs can mutate so the antibiotics are no longer dangerous to the germs. For example, Escherichia coli (E coli) normally lives in your large intestine and helps with digestion. Unfortunately, if it winds up in your bladder, you can get a urinary tract infection, If the E coli is resistant to the usual antibiotics, then stronger antibiotics may be needed to treat the infection. The good thing about this is only the E coli mutates and the resistance is not spread from E coli to other germs.
A second way that germs can become resistant is when a small genetic particle called a plasmid is shared among different bacteria. This can cause the germ to become resistant even if not exposed to the antibiotic, AND, plasmids can be shared among different types of bacteria.

So, what can you do to protect yourself? The very best thing you can do is to get in the habit of washing your hands frequently. Hand hygiene is the 
single most effective way to stop the spread of disease! Use soap and water if your hands are visibly soiled. Otherwise, alcohol gel (at least 60% alcohol) is effective with one important exception. If you are around someone with a bug called Clostridium difficile (C diff), alcohol is ineffective and you've got to use soap and water. In case you are wondering, C diff gives you a royal case of nasty, stinky, painful diarrhea. It can be very serious, and even cause death in some cases!

The other major thing you can do is to use antibiotics very cautiously. Unfortunately, our society seems to want a pill to fix everything. If you use antibiotics inappropriately (like for something viral like the flu), you 
increase the risk of resistance. A lot of people tend to keep antibiotics around "just in case", but the antibiotic has to match both the germ and the location of the germ in order to be effective. Just because something is an antibiotic does NOT mean it is appropriate for every possible infection!

As for the superbug, we've had superbugs around for many years. This newest bug is scary only because it is so resistant and the patient may have to have some creative doctors to find the right drugs for treatment. Remember, though, it is not an immediate death sentence just because the antibiotic is resistant. It makes treatment harder, but it also depends on the general health and the immune system of the patient.

Thanks for asking about this - I do this for a living as an Infection Preventionist, and I LOVE talking about germs!!


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## hiwall (Jun 15, 2012)

Many on this site use natural antibiotics of which the list is long. 
I never go to the doctor because of all the sick people around them
DrDianaAnderson you are going to be a great addition to this site and I think many of us feel that way (of course we will pick on you on occasion anyway!).


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## fteter (May 23, 2014)

It's important to keep in mind that most CRE infections are spread through physical contact; especially contact with an infected person's wound or eliminated waste. Good hygiene, especially washing your hands frequently, is the best defense.


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## DrPrepper (Apr 17, 2016)

hiwall said:


> Many on this site use natural antibiotics of which the list is long.
> I never go to the doctor because of all the sick people around them
> DrDianaAnderson you are going to be a great addition to this site and I think many of us feel that way (of course we will pick on you on occasion anyway!).


 Hiwall,
Yep, hospitals and doctors' offices are some of the germiest places around- almost as bad as Walmart! Even natural antibiotics can be overused, and I would wager that they can also cause some degree of resistance, too, if overused. As for getting picked on, for a while I was the only woman in my company when I was active duty army..... and that experience taught me to dish it out as well as I take it! So.... pick away!

Speaking of picking on people, did I see on the weather that it is going to be 105 in the valley this week? It will only be about 37 here tonight...... hehehe.........


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## tmttactical (Nov 23, 2015)

DrDianaAnderson said:


> If you use antibiotics inappropriately (like for something viral like the flu), you increase the risk of resistance. A lot of people tend to keep antibiotics around "just in case", but the antibiotic has to match both the germ and the location of the germ in order to be effective. Just because something is an antibiotic does NOT mean it is appropriate for every possible infection!
> 
> Thanks for asking about this - I do this for a living as an Infection Preventionist, and I LOVE talking about germs!!


Dr.-D, How ABOUT A THREAD SUGGESTING WHICH ANTIBIOTICS TO STORE for which types of issues --- for us non-medical valley dwellers. LOL :beercheer:


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## DrPrepper (Apr 17, 2016)

tmttactical said:


> Dr.-D, How ABOUT A THREAD SUGGESTING WHICH ANTIBIOTICS TO STORE for which types of issues --- for us non-medical valley dwellers. LOL :beercheer:


That's a great idea! I'll work on putting something together!


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## tmttactical (Nov 23, 2015)

DrDianaAnderson said:


> Hiwall,
> Yep, hospitals and doctors' offices are some of the germiest places around- almost as bad as Walmart! Even natural antibiotics can be overused, and I would wager that they can also cause some degree of resistance, too, if overused. As for getting picked on, for a while I was the only woman in my company when I was active duty army..... and that experience taught me to dish it out as well as I take it! So.... pick away!
> 
> Speaking of picking on people, did I see on the weather that it is going to be 105 in the valley this week? It will only be about 37 here tonight...... hehehe.........


Yeah it is finally getting to a reasonable temperature. Next winter I will look up sales on snow shovels for you mountain folks. 37 degrees is about the temp of my refrigerator. artydance:


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

hiwall said:


> Many on this site use natural antibiotics of which the list is long.
> I never go to the doctor because of all the sick people around them
> DrDianaAnderson you are going to be a great addition to this site and I think many of us feel that way (of course we will pick on you on occasion anyway!).


I'll "Grimm slap" anyone who picks on this voice of sanity and common sense.


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## DrPrepper (Apr 17, 2016)

tmttactical said:


> Yeah it is finally getting to a reasonable temperature. Next winter I will look up sales on snow shovels for you mountain folks. 37 degrees is about the temp of my refrigerator. artydance:


Snow shovels? We don' need no stinkin' snow shovels! 

We clear the snow out with our bare hands, dressed in shorts and flip flops! We mountain folk are tough!


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## VoorTrekker (Oct 7, 2012)

Well, I fell behind a newby about this topic. From the latest NYT online:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2016/05/26/the-superbug-that-doctors-have-been-dreading-just-reached-the-u-s/?wpisrc=nl_az_most

A woman in Pennsylvania was treated at an outpatient facility and contracted an infection.

We all know the rest of this story.


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## azrancher (Jan 30, 2014)

DrDianaAnderson said:


> Thanks for asking about this - I do this for a living as an Infection Preventionist, and I LOVE talking about germs!!


Do you wake up in the morning, look into the mirror and tell yourself that you are a weird person....

Thanks Diana!

*Rancher*


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## DrPrepper (Apr 17, 2016)

azrancher said:


> Do you wake up in the morning, look into the mirror and tell yourself that you are a weird person....
> 
> Thanks Diana!
> 
> *Rancher*


Every morning, Rancher! 
:nuts:


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## tmttactical (Nov 23, 2015)

DrDianaAnderson said:


> Snow shovels? We don' need no stinkin' snow shovels!
> 
> We clear the snow out with our bare hands, dressed in shorts and flip flops! We mountain folk are tough!


Tough but melt like Popsicle's when the going get's hot!  Us human reptiles can wrap up to stay warm but how much can you Mountain dwellers take off to cool down? :2thumb: Just the bare facts. :thumbraise:


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## DrPrepper (Apr 17, 2016)

tmttactical said:


> Tough but melt like Popsicle's when the going get's hot!  Us human reptiles can wrap up to stay warm but how much can you Mountain dwellers take off to cool down? :2thumb: Just the bare facts. :thumbraise:


Ah, tmt........ since it rarely gets over 90 here in the summer, we do not have to worry about becoming human poptarts just stepping outside! (We did not even install AC when we built our house, since there really is not the need) And, on those days that it does get over 90, the lake is only 1/2 mile from our front door! I could never live somewhere that the ambient temperature was hotter than the water in my hot tub! 

Of course, years ago, I was stationed at Fort Huachuca (Ft. Hoochie Koochie) in Sierra Vista, and when we did field exercises (in the desert in full field gear), it was well over 112- 115...... that is when I vowed to live somewhere where the weather was not competing with my oven!


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