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U.S. super bugs surface in Colombia:

http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2008/11/13/american-superbugs.html

U.S. super bugs surface in Colombia: study
Last Updated: Thursday, November 13, 2008 | 2:34 PM ET Comments0Recommend0CBC News
Two super bugs first detected in the U.S. have begun to cause serious sickness and death in a handful of Colombian cities, including the capital Bogota, according to research published Thursday in the New England Journal of Medicine.

The study, a joint project by researchers at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston and the Universidad El Bosque in Bogota, found that methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, MRSA, and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis, VREF, have emerged in Colombia and researchers want to know how they got there.

The researchers say the this is the first time this particular MRSA lineage has been documented in a country other than the United States. They also say the VREF strain found is genetically related to one that hit a Houston hospital in 1994.

The researchers say community-associated MRSA infections — which are acquired by people who have neither been hospitalized or had a medical procedure in the past year — surfaced in Colombia in 2005, one case in each of Bogota and Villavicencio. Now there are 15 cases across the country in four cities.

As for VREF, 50 cases have been identified since 2001 at seven hospitals in Colombia.

"We are tracking and recording these cases to find the link between the U.S. and Colombia," said Cesar Arias, assistant professor of infectious diseases at the UT Medical School at Houston, in a news release.

"The goal is to find out why and how these organisms got there. With this information, researchers hope to better understand the molecular epidemiology of these super bugs to understand how they spread and how to control them."

He said the university plans to study the super bugs further with Latin American institutions to learn more about the antibiotic resistant organisms.

A variation of MRSA is considered the most important cause of severe skin and soft tissue infections in the U.S.

The researchers said all of the patients diagnosed with community-associated MRSA infections in Colombia suffered severe skin and soft tissue infections. Some patients lost tissue surrounding bones, while others had bacteria in their bloodstreams or developed meningitis. About 20 per cent of the patients died.

The MRSA infections were treated with antibiotics, although 40 per cent were said to be resistant to tetracycline.

Arias said that a variation of MRSA has also surfaced in a number of patients in Ecuador and Venezuela.

By mariacvetanoski on Nov 13, 2008, 12:24 in Friendly Talkzone.

mariacvetanoski says on Nov 13, 2008, 12:31:

"The goal is to find out why and how these organisms got there. With this information, researchers hope to better understand the molecular epidemiology of these super bugs to understand how they spread and how to control them."

how did they get there?

Save the street children of Colombia Now!!

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Chriscan says on Nov 13, 2008, 15:45:

Maybe it has something to do with people taking anitbiotics before seeing the doctor.

************* WARNING ************* my words often come from my ass. www.independentbanff.com

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Tinto (Moderator) (Trustee board) says on Nov 13, 2008, 15:53:

I'm bathing in Clorox before my next flight from Houston to Bogota.

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miamimike says on Nov 13, 2008, 19:26:

So many Col residents attempt to self diagnose and self medicate is a large part of the problem. With this rampant unwarranted use of Antibiotics in Col, it doesn't take long for the bacteria to fool the current antibiotics. Bad news when people self medicate with antibiotics without first consulting a MD and having a sputum sample of bacteria cultured for the appropiate antibiotic.With so much international travel to and from, say Miami(where MRSA is rampant) carriers abound, its easy to see how these drug resistant bugs are passed around..The latest Super drug resistant Bug here in Miami(as well as other us cities) is C. Difficile--a very nasty piece of bacteria.Airline Ventialtion systems which recirculate cabin air are big culprits also, recirculating all that crappy air people have sneezed and coughed into over and over again for others to inhale and then become very sick with. the contents. Stewardesses have complained for years about this problem, at least they don't have to breathe that crappy cigarette smoke anymore,,,

Avatar Legend: Bush "If any of you Reporters are wondering, it was a Size 10"

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TobyBoy says on Nov 13, 2008, 19:28:

I can't leave the USA for Bogota (permanently) qucikly enough!

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miamimike says on Nov 13, 2008, 19:33:

C. Difficile: *******Antibiotics, especially those with a broad spectrum of activity, cause disruption of normal intestinal flora, leading to an overgrowth of C. difficile, which flourishes under these conditions. This leads to pseudomembranous colitis.***** Overuse of broad-based antibiotics can be faulted here.

C. difficile is resistant to most antibiotics. It is transmitted from person to person by the fecal-oral route. Because the organism forms heat-resistant spores, it can remain in the hospital or nursing home environment for long periods of time. It can be cultured from almost any surface in the hospital. Once spores are ingested, they pass through the stomach unscathed because of their acid-resistance. They change to their active form in the colon and multiply
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clostridium_difficile

Avatar Legend: Bush "If any of you Reporters are wondering, it was a Size 10"

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TobyBoy says on Nov 13, 2008, 21:17:

You are right about that Morphus, and than good lactate products are aslo so great in Colombia (...in fact, the French discovered this fact, and ar now buidling a alrger Dannone palnt in Bogota).

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La_Huella says on Nov 13, 2008, 21:38:

That's not a bad idea, I need to go buy a fucking Kumis tomorrow!

My whole band has had this, almost everybody I know has had it, people have been in and out of hospitals, I guess I should feel proud and happy none of us had to!

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TobyBoy says on Nov 13, 2008, 21:45:

Kunmis / Yogurst are good but they are diffrent from Kefir -which has more cultures.

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La_Huella says on Nov 13, 2008, 21:47:

Can you get Kefir in Colombia?

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jonas says on Nov 13, 2008, 21:49:

"It is transmitted from person to person by the fecal-oral route."

No coma mierda.

Mi alma se la dejo al diablo

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TobyBoy says on Nov 13, 2008, 21:53:

I've seen it, but in recent years I have not looked for it. Sorry.

-They are usually found in health-food stores. One can always purchase acidophilus as a similar supplement anyway.

My secret is raw-uncooked honey daily. I have not been ill in over twenty years (not even a little cold with fever). I also love DARK chocolate.

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el torcido says on Nov 13, 2008, 22:06:

colombians are not particularly strong in the end of immunity

don't know much about phlebotomy, nor astronomy, either.

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La_Huella says on Nov 13, 2008, 22:39:

I have both in my kitchen. Honey is great for the immune system, I should take more of it.

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PBHjon says on Nov 13, 2008, 23:21:

dark chocolate and honey are good for the heart and the soul :)

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TobyBoy says on Nov 14, 2008, 06:36:

You KNOW it!!!

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