Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria on the Rise

(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Since the 1950s, researchers have worried about the potential dangers of the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus. Now, it seems those concerns were warranted. Experts writing in this week's issue of The Lancet say some 2 billion people worldwide carry S. aureus, and as many as 52 million may carry a dangerous form known as meticillin- (methicillin) resistant S. aureus, or MRSA.

Meticillin, a powerful antibiotic, was first marketed in 1960. Shortly after its release, doctors started to see strains of bacteria that were resistant to the drug. At the time, they believed there was no cause for concern. That changed just seven years later when multi-resistant strains of infection began to develop and were detected in numerous countries. Concern grew even greater in 1980 when the infection reached epidemic levels in part of Australia, and it was believed to have been brought in by a health care worker.

From there, researchers realized the infection seemed to be showing up in great numbers in clinical settings. Soon, doctors discovered another strain that was resistant to yet another powerful antibiotic, vancomycin.

In the published study, researchers write, "MRSA is at present the most commonly identified antibiotic-resistant pathogen in many parts of the world, including Europe, the Americas, North Africa, the Middle East, and East Asia." They go on to indicate the number of cases has been rapidly increasing over the past decade, including in countries where the numbers were low and stable for many years.

They warn this issue needs to be taken seriously since "the threshold for losing control might be low and is not well defined." Because many cases are acquired in hospitals, it is difficult to determine the mortality, morbidity and loss of productivity brought on by the infection.

The study authors suggest the need for surveillance systems to monitor for the spread of the infection as well a way to rapidly detect a carrier. They offer the following solutions:

Screening of patients through culture samples from various body sites
Screening of staff for nasal colonization
Isolation of infected patients
Improved hand hygiene in hospitals
Improved methods for disinfecting environmental surfaces
Decolonization therapy for carriers

Finally, the study authors indicate, "Hospital staff have a responsibility to implement, maintain, and adhere to strict contact precautions, should hospitals remain places where citizens can aspire to positive healthcare outcomes with confidence."

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SOURCE: The Lancet, published online June 21, 2006