MRSA Infection

BBC News - Overuse of animal antibiotics could affect human

BBC News - Overuse of animal antibiotics could affect human.

Scientists have warned the overuse of antibiotics on animals could put human health at risk after they found evidence that drug resistant MRSA had been passed between animals and humans. The warning comes as the European Union considers restrictions on the use of antibiotic treatments on farm animals.

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Inmate says he got MRSA because of jail overcrowding

Inmate says he got MRSA because of jail overcrowding  - News - The Charleston Gazette - West Virginia News and Sports -.

A Roane County man is suing the West Virginia's Regional Jail Authority, alleging that he developed a staph infection because medical staff did not change his ostomy pouch regularly during his incarceration this summer. Roy Dennis, 43, of Spencer, filed the lawsuit Wednesday in Roane Circuit Court. Dennis alleges that severe overcrowding at the Central Regional Jail in Flatwoods caused jail officials to neglect his medical needs.

Honey: The 'bee penicillin' that could even beat MRSA

Honey: The 'bee penicillin' that could even beat MRSA | Mail Online.

Unfiltered honey also contains a powerful substance called propolis, nicknamed bee penicillin, which is made from the resin that oozes from trees. Bees mix this resin with their saliva to create an antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal ‘wallpaper’ to ensure disease cannot enter their hives. Traces of this brown substance break off into the raw honey to make it naturally antibacterial. Bees also add the enzyme glucose oxidase to honey. When this comes into contact with moisture, it releases low levels of antiseptic hydrogen peroxide, which can kill bacteria but does not damage skin tissue. The University of Waikato in New Zealand found that when raw honey was applied to MRSA infected antibiotic-resistant wounds, they became sterile and healed so quickly that patients could leave hospital weeks earlier. Scarring was minimised because peeling back a dressing glazed in honey – as opposed to a dry bandage – did not disturb the new tissue underneath.

Increased transmission of MRSA and VRE sparks infection control response

Increased transmission of MRSA and VRE at STEGH - St. Thomas Times-Journal - Ontario, CA.

The St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital (STEGH) through normal monitoring procedures has noted an increase in transmission of VRE and MRSA above normal rates. Following consultation with Elgin St Thomas Public Health (ESPH) Friday afternoon, STEGH declared an outbreak situation on the 2nd surgical floor. These patients are not symptomatic but this bacteria was identified during routine swabs. "We have very strict monitoring measures in place. On a day-to-day basis we know our transmission rate and immediately act upon any trends," explains Brenda Lambert, VP Patient Services. "We are declaring this outbreak in part to raise awareness within the organization and the community of the need for diligent hand washing, and following isolation precautions."

MRSA acquiring resistance elements in pigs?

Methicillin-resistant coagulase-negat... [Appl Environ Microbiol. 2011] - PubMed - NCBI.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) likely originated by acquisition of the SCCmec from coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS). However, it is unknown whether the same SCCmec types are present in MRSA and CNS that reside in the same niche. Here we report a study to determine the presence of a potential mecA reservoir among CNS recovered from 10 pig farms. The 44 strains belonged to 10 different Staphylococcus species. All S. aureus belonged to ST398, with SCCmec types V and IVa. Type IVc as well as type III, VI and novel subtypes of type IV and not-typeable types were found in CNS. S. aureus, S. epidermidis and S. haemolyticus shared SCCmec type V. Noteworthy is the presence of SCCmec type IVc in several staphylococcal species isolated from one pig farm that suggests exchange of this SCCmec type in CNS, but the general distribution of this SCCmec type still has to be established. In conclusion, this study shows that SCCmec types among staphylococcal species on pig farms are heterogeneous. On two farms more than one recovered staphylococcal species harbored the same SCCmec type. We conclude that staphylococci on pig farms act as a reservoir of heterogeneous SCCmec elements. These staphylococci may act as source for transfer of SCCmec to S. aureus.

MRSA diversity in Italy

Molecular epidemiology of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Italian cystic fibrosis patients: A national overview.

One hundred and seventy-eight strains isolated from 2360 patients attending the participating centres were analysed. We detected 56 (31.4%) SCCmec IV PVL-negative strains, with a resistance rate of 80.3% to clindamycin and of 14.5% to trimethoprim/sulphamethoxazole. MLST analysis showed that many isolates belonged to known epidemic lineages. The largest clone grouping of 29 isolates from 6 centres had the genetic background (ST8-MRSA-IV) of the American lineages USA300 and USA500, thus demonstrating the diffusion of these strains in a population considered at risk for hospital associated infections. Conclusions Known MRSA epidemic clones such as USA600, USA800, USA1100, and UK EMRSA-3 were described for the first time in Italy. The diffusion of MRSA strains with high pathogenic potential in the CF population suggests that analysis of the MRSA strains involved in pulmonary infections of these patients is needed.

Colonization kinetics and host suscep... [Appl Environ Microbiol. 2011] - PubMed - NCBI

Colonization kinetics and host suscep... [Appl Environ Microbiol. 2011] - PubMed - NCBI.

After nasal inoculation with MRSA piglets of all four test groups showed no clinical signs of an MRSA infection. MRSA was present on the nasal mucosa, skin and conjunctiva in all four test groups, including sentinel animals. Likewise, fecal excretion and internal colonization of MRSA ST8, ST9 and ST398 could be shown in each group. However, faecal excretion and the colonization rate of the nasal mucosa with MRSA ST9 was significantly lower in the first days after infection compared to the test groups infected with ST8 and ST398.The results of this study suggest differences in colonization potential of the different MRSA types in pigs. Furthermore, colonization of lymph nodes (e.g. the ileocolic lymph node) with MRSA of the clonal lineage ST398 was demonstrated.

The genetics of vancomycin resistance

How does the staph superbug become so super?.

Our approach has been to take the isolates of staph from patients at the day they are diagnosed with an infection and then again 20 days later when they've failed therapy with vancomycin.  Using DNA sequencing, we sequence the complete genome of the bacterium for the first and last isolates. We've found, for the first time, that you only need to change one tiny piece of the DNA - what we call a nucleotide, the minimum component of the DNA sequence of the microbe - and it's enough to allow the bug to reprogram itself, to make a slightly different cell wall, to do a few other different tricks that mean the antibiotic is not as effective any more. Worryingly, we also found this change also made staph more resistant to another last-line antibiotic, even though patients had never been treated with this agent. There are also examples of point mutations in bacteria causing antibiotic resistance but we've shown a new mechanism by which staph aureus can evolve resistance to vancomycin. We could use vancomycin in a different way or change the dosage; or find a partner drug so the bacteria have to develop resistance to two drugs - a common strategy to fight other infectious diseases; or identify patients more at risk of developing these resistant infections and treat them differently.

Hand hygiene in pediatric and neonatal intensive care unit patients

Hand hygiene in pediatric and neonatal intensive care unit patients: Daily opportunities and indication- and profession-specific analyses of compliance.

Results Hand hygiene opportunities were significantly higher for pediatric (321/24 hours) than neonatal (194/24 hours; P = .024) patients. Observed compliance rates were 53% (pediatric) and 61% (neonatal) and found to be significantly higher in nurses (57%; 66%) than in physicians (29%, 52%, respectively; P < .001; P = .017, respectively). For neonates, compliance rates were significantly higher before patient contact and aseptic tasks (78%) than after patient, patient body fluid, or patients’ surrounding contact (57%; P < .001). Calculating disinfectant usage revealed a 3-fold lower compliance rate of 17%. Conclusion This study provides the first data on opportunities for and compliance with hand hygiene in pediatric/neonatal patients encompassing the whole day and night activities and including a comparison of observed and calculated compliance rates. Observation revealed high compliance especially in nurses and in situations of greatest impact. The data provide a detailed characterization of hand hygiene performance in the neonatal/pediatric ICU setting.

MRSA Eye Infections on the Rise, Treatment Lagging

MRSA Eye Infections on the Rise, Treatment Lagging.

While the prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), particularly the community-acquired form, in ophthalmic infections continues to rise, the scope of the problem is being underrecognized and treatment is often inappropriate, researchers warned here at the American Academy of Ophthalmology 2011 Annual Meeting. These conclusions come from a multicenter 6-year study of nearly 400 patients by researchers from the Kaiser Permanente Medical Group in Union City, California. The results were presented by coinvestigator Jordon Piluek, MD, from Stanford University in Palo Alto, California.

Cold Plasma to Fight MRSA?

Healthcare investing: 5 underserved medical problems.

MRSA infections: There’s no shortage of drug companies taking aim at drug-resistant infections such as MRSA, but there are other ways of attacking the problem. At least two startups — Sterionics and Plasma Technologies — are developing treatments for drug-resistant bacteria that use cold plasma technology. Plasma is a partially ionized gas that is sometimes used to disinfect and sterilize surgical equipment in cabinets, as well as for other industrial applications. The substance kills bacteria by interfering with their DNA, but it’s typically so hot that it would damage human tissue. That’s where cold plasma comes in.

Making medicine from MRSA

Nature lessons | Mending Broken Hearts | guardian.co.uk.

At the Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Research at the University of Reading, Dr Simon Clarke has discovered a potential therapeutic use of a molecule produced by the MRSA super bug. "We've discovered that the bacteria staphylococcus aureus produces something called lipoteichoic acid and we've found that it can inhibit activation of platelets," explains Clarke. Platelets have an important role in blood clotting, and although clotting is an important response to injury, it can also be dangerous in some circumstances, including during a heart attack, when a blood clot in an artery starves the heart of vital oxygen. "We're studying how platelets respond to the lipoteichoic acid in order to understand how we can prevent them from activating," says Clarke. "Inappropriate activation of platelets leads to thrombosis, causing heart attacks and strokes."

MRSA & Renal Patients

DNA Microarray Genotyping and Virulence and Antimicrobial Resistance Gene Profiling of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Bloodstream Isolates from Renal Patients.

Thirty-six methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bloodstream isolates from renal patients were genetically characterized by DNA microarray analysis and spa typing. The isolates were highly clonal, belonging mainly to ST22-MRSA-IV. The immune evasion and enterotoxin gene clusters were found in 29/36 (80%) and 33/36 (92%) of isolates, respectively.

4 Risk factors for Hospital MRSA

Abstract | Assessment of risk factors related to healthcare-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection at patient admission to an intensive care unit in Japan.

Results Thirty patients (6.3%) had MRSA infection, and 444 patients (93.7%) were infection-free. Intubation, existence of open wound, treatment with antibiotics, and steroid administration, all occurring within 24 hours of ICU admission, were detected as independent prognostic indicators. Patients with intubation or open wound comprised 96.7% of MRSA-infected patients but only 57.4% of all patients admitted. Conclusions Four prognostic variables were found to be risk factors for HA-MRSA infection in ICU: intubation, open wound, treatment with antibiotics, and steroid administration, all occurring within 24 hours of ICU admission. Preemptive infection control in patients with these risk factors might effectively decrease HA-MRSA infection.

Pfizer Abandons Antibiotics R&D in China!

Antibiotics - The Perfect Storm: Pfizer Abandons Antibiotics R&D in China!.

Pfizer’s exit from antibiotics R&D back in February of this year. In that report, I noted that they claimed they were moving their antibiotic discovery effort to China I also expressed doubts that they would ever be able to do that. I have a source that tells me that they have now announced (at least internally) that they are cancelling their plans (such as they were) to establish antibiotic discovery in China. They still claim that they will continue to pursue what antibiotics they have in development. I seriously doubt they will be successful there either

Community MRSA and HIV

BioMed Central | Full text | Community-associated Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia and Endocarditis among HIV Patients: a cohort study.

Results Among 131 episodes of S. aureus bacteremia, 85 (66%) were MRSA of which 47 (54%) were CA-MRSA. Sixty-three patients (48%) developed endocarditis and 10 patients (8%) died in the hospital on the index admission Patients with CA-MRSA were significantly more likely to develop endocarditis (OR = 2.73, 95% CI = 1.30, 5.71). No other variables including comorbid conditions, current receipt of antiretroviral therapy, pre-culture severity of illness, or CD4 count were significantly associated with endocarditis and none were associated with in-hospital mortality. Conclusions CA-MRSA was significantly associated with an increased incidence of endocarditis in this cohort of HIV patients with MRSA bacteremia. In populations such as these, in which the prevalence of intravenous drug use and probability of endocarditis are both high, efforts must be made for early detection, which may improve treatment outcomes.

MRSA Carrier Treated IN US Jail to Prevent Spread

Lake Sheriff says quick work averted infectious outbreak.

Lake County Sheriff John Buncich said Thursday his staff prevented a potential outbreak of a drug-resistant staph infection in the county jail by isolating an infected inmate. An acquaintance of the male inmate, who declined to identify herself or the inmate, told The Times she learned Thursday morning the inmate was infected during an outbreak in the jail after his court hearing on a theft charge was canceled for medical reasons. Buncich said no outbreak took place. He said the inmate, whom he didn't identify, was arrested recently and discovered to be carrying methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, a highly contagious, bacteria-borne disease that can be dangerous in institutional settings for inmates with immune deficiencies. "He came into the jail with it. It was immediately detected. We immediately put him in isolation. That is the reason he was not allowed to go to court today. He is being treated away from the general population," Buncich said.

MRSA/C Diff Test Market Worth $140+

GEN | Magazine Articles: Infectious Disease Molecular Diagnostics.

Among these, the two tests for diagnosing nosocomial infections, or healthcare-acquired infections (HAIs)—C. Diff and MRSA—have witnessed the greatest level of adoption. With direct medical costs attributable to HAI totaling as much as $34 billion in the U.S., molecular diagnostic-based screens are proving to be necessary for risk mitigation. By promoting infection prevention and control, U.S.-based molecular diagnostic testing for C. Diff and MRSA generated $140 million in 2010.

MRSA Drug Pioneers ContraFect Hires David Huang

ContraFect Hires David Huang, M.D., Ph.D. as Chief Medical Officer - MarketWatch.

ContraFect Corporation, the company that is pioneering the use of recombinant proteins for the treatment of drug-resistant bacteria, announced today that David Huang, M.D., Ph.D. has joined as its Chief Medical Officer. As CMO, Dr. Huang will be responsible for the company's clinical strategy and the development of its lead compound, CF-301, for infections caused by Staphylococcus and Streptococcus. CF-301 is a first-in-class drug that is expected to have a major role in the treatment of infections caused by MRSA (drug-resistant Staphylococcus).

erte launches revolutionary free-radical based air disinfection device

erte launches revolutionary free-radical based air disinfection device.

Aerte's AD 2.0 is specifically designed and proven to continuously eliminate airborne healthcare associated infections (HCAI) in clinical settings — including MRSA, C difficile and Norovirus. The wall-mounted system can disinfect a room up to a volume of 300m3 and has been proven to not only remove virtually all airborne pathogens but also to target bacteria and viruses present on surfaces (over 20% reduction on most materials). Each unit can be controlled remotely, with automatic notifications alerting staff when the cartridges have run out and on the unit’s current status (eg working, sleeping, off) — making monitoring of this system very easy and largely labour free.