MRSA Staph Infection

[bigpuma]

That's so true, but at least those patients were coming from a place of ignorance. The docs knew better and still caved into pressure.

 

I have a friend who used to demand antibiotics for her kids every single damn time they had a cold or allergy symptoms. Her doc gave them to her every time she asked, I suspect to just get her off his back. Shame on him and other doctors like him!

 

Exactly, don't blame the patients who want to feel better and don't know any better, blame the physicians who continue to cave in despite knowing better.

[Tranquil Waters]

Actually, you're wrong on this statement. It's true that they are latching on to the cases outside of healthcare but it's not true that it's just now showing up in areas outside of healthcare facilities. MRSA has been around for ages in and out of healthcare settings and is extremely easily passed between people especially if they aren't careful, if they have a weak immunity system or are currently sick with some type of infection or wound. You see it much more in health care settings because of the number of people in and out 24/7 year round. It's true that you can be "colonized" with MRSA and not actually be sick. In fact, if you tested anyone that works in healthcare or any other business where people are in close contact such as teachers that teach many years or other businesses where you are around many individuals, you would find many of them are colonized and they don't even know it. This has always been the case. The fact now is that the media has latched on to a couple of cases and would it sound like this is some new epidemic when in actuality, it's an old, serious infection that people just need to be better educated about.

 

You are correct that "staff" infections have been around for "ages". However the frequency of antibiotic-resistant strains (outside of the hospital setting) is increasing. There are more and more cases that are resistant to the more common broad spectum antibiotics. And this is a change. And each time the strains go through genic shifts that lead to resistance to latest treatments, you are talking about a new type infection and a new ballgame......

[cot427]

We are having a bad string of MRSA here in Western Pa, especially in the schools. As for the cruise ships, and the hot tubs, I didn't even think about it. I went into almost everyday on the Freedom about two weeks ago, and didn't get a thing.

[Robkatcruisers]

This information may be redundant but this was taken from medicinenet.com:

 

Superbug Staph Spread in Community

 

Medical Author: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD

Medical Editor: Barbara K. Hecht, PhD

MRSA, or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, is a bacterium that can cause serious infections. It is resistant to numerous antibiotics of the beta-lactam family, including methicillin and penicillin.

MRSA belongs to the large group of bacteria known as Staphylococci, often referred to as Staph. About 25%-30% of all people have Staph within the nose, but it normally does not cause an infection. In contrast, only about 1% of the population have MRSA.

Infections with MRSA are most common in hospitals and other institutional health-care settings, such as nursing homes, where they tend to strike older people, those who are very ill, and people with a weakened immune system. In health-care settings, MRSA is a frequent cause of surgical wound infections, urinary tract infections, bloodstream infections (sepsis), and pneumonia.

MRSA outbreaks, however, are appearing increasingly in the community. Infections can occur in people who have not been hospitalized or had a medical procedure performed in the past year, and who do not have immune deficiency. These infections are termed community-associated MRSA infections (CA-MRSA). The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that about 12% of MRSA infections are now community-associated, but this percentage can vary by community and patient population.

Community-associated MRSA infections usually affect the skin, causing pimples and boils in otherwise healthy people. Infected areas may be red, swollen, painful, and have pus or other drainage.

MRSA is typically transmitted from people with active MRSA infections. MRSA and other staph infections are primarily transmitted by the hands, which may become contaminated by contact with colonized or infected people or items or surfaces contaminated with body fluids containing MRSA. Skin-to-skin contact, cuts or abrasions of the skin, contaminated items and surfaces, crowded living conditions, and poor hygiene have all been associated with the transmission of MRSA in the community.

If you believe you have a Staph infection, visit your health-care provider. Most Staph and MRSA infections can be treated with antibiotics, but skin lesions may also be treated by drainage of the lesion under sterile conditions. MRSA infections that have been treated can recur and require further treatment.

Good hygiene is the most effective way to prevent MRSA infections and to prevent the recurrence of treated lesions. Hands should be kept clean by frequent washings or use of hand-sanitizer lotions. Openings in the skin such as cuts should be kept clean and covered until healed. Contact with other people's skin wounds should be avoided, and personal care items such as towels and razors should not be shared with others.

 

 

I had never heard of it until now...yikes..

[gill_boo]

I find it a bit hard to believe that someone is in health care and doesn't know if he/she is dealing with viruses or bacteria or maybe doesn't know the difference between the two.

 

OMG people, it was a brain fart forgive me.

[Majesty Fan]

MRSA is not anything that is knew it has been around a long time it is the "new thing to talk about now" walk in most hospitals, nursing homes, and there it is. If you practice good handwashing you should be safe. I was just on the Radiance and was in the various hot tubs. Most people have MRSA and never even know it. Dou get get a pedicare? If the answer is yes? You have a better chance of getting MRSA. I am alos a nurse and it blows my mind to have a family with a kids walk in the hospital with no shoes, socks on. Most hospitals have Purell in every room or an equivalant. I wash my hands all the time and t.ook care of some both prior to my cruise and after my cruise. If you have a sore or a wound don't get inot the pool or hottubs.

Lexi

[cathleen]

I find it a bit hard to believe that someone is in health care and doesn't know if he/she is dealing with viruses or bacteria or maybe doesn't know the difference between the two.

 

I can believe that there are plenty people who work in healthcare who don't know these things. I manage them everyday. Some of the employees who provide the most basic hands-on care (nurse assistant, etc.) will not have any clinical knowledge at all. Not all, but some.

[whale-watcher]

and as if MRSA was not enough...most of the bacterial infections acquired in hot tubs are actually caused by a different (but equally virulent) bacteria: Psuedomonas aeruginosa

[jerseygirl3]

Exactly, don't blame the patients who want to feel better and don't know any better, blame the physicians who continue to cave in despite knowing better.

 

Okay, just to clarify, the docs I work for don't "cave." We've actually had patients leave our practice because our docs were adamant about not giving antibiotics for a cold. But having said that, there are plenty of doctors out there who are way to quick to pull out the prescription pad just to get the patient off their backs. The thing that annoys me is that I could count on one hand how many times my kids had antibiotics during their childhood. But I will still pay the price for the idiots who used them every time their kids nose started running. BTW, low co-pays don't help the situation. Parents rush their kids into the pediatrician's office at the drop of a hat because they either have no co-pay or a very small one. When my kids were little, I held off until absolutely necessary because doctor's visits weren't covered by insurance until you reached a very high deductible. We try to tell parents who constantly bring their kids in for minor illnesses that they are more likely to pick up something while their at the doctor's office, so unless necessary, they needn't come in. Even though we keep our sick and well sides separated by different waiting rooms and different exam rooms on opposite sides of the building, there is still cross contamination.

[jaxon41]

Hello...

 

I don't consider myself paranoid about germs. I don't use the ship hot tubs because I've got one at home and it's not particularly a novelty to use one that's been used by so many people, especially young children.

 

What does bother me more is the apparently unconcern about risk of foot infections (staph, fungus, ringworm, etc.) by security systems at the airport. With everyone taking off their shoes, walking on the bare floor, (often barefoot) there is a risk of acquiring various types of infections.

 

I've started wearing a second old pair of socks and thowing them away after passing security.

 

Overly careful, possibly...but it makes me feel safer...

 

murphysmum;)

 

Good point -- I use surgical booties (DH is a surgeon), or slippers (which of course, don't get thrown away, but I guess I'll stop using them, now). Some airports now have the surgical booties available for use, and it is amazing how many people do not use them. Maybe with the focus on MRSA, it will (it should) become required. There was a big article in the free Chicago paper 2 weeks ago about MRSA being in the Cook County prison, and little kids with relatives who had been in the prison are getting it.

[CPT Trips]

Good point -- I use surgical booties (DH is a surgeon), or slippers (which of course, don't get thrown away, but I guess I'll stop using them, now). Some airports now have the surgical booties available for use, and it is amazing how many people do not use them. Maybe with the focus on MRSA, it will (it should) become required. There was a big article in the free Chicago paper 2 weeks ago about MRSA being in the Cook County prison, and little kids with relatives who had been in the prison are getting it.

 

It would make more sense to leave shoes on unless they alarm.

That's in an airport - not a hot tub . . . no alarms in the tub:)

[RevSmith]

This infection has been around for YEARS...it's just the media with nothing better to do. WASH YOUR HANDS!

[Tranquil Waters]

This infection has been around for YEARS...it's just the media with nothing better to do. WASH YOUR HANDS!

 

It is the fact that the antibiotic resistant strains are on the increase that is the concern. (And it isn't just staff infections). That has nothing to do with the media. We have been concerned with it in healthcare before it ever caught the media's attention. People spend so much time worried about global warming or atomic wars or whatever. It will be the unseen "little critters" that will take mankind down.... ;) :eek:

[Ocean Boy]

OMG people, it was a brain fart forgive me.

 

I have no idea what a "brain fart" is but anyway.... you didn't miss-type the word once. You used the term "virus" several times. If someone is going to post to a medically related thread and preface their remarks by stating their qualifications to offer the information then I feel their posts should be held to a higher standard than the average poster.

 

People assume that those in the medical field know what they are talking about. Unfortunately, it isn't always the case. And since I am also in the medical field, a physician, I stand by my statement.

[nrdsb4]

I have no idea what a "brain fart" is but anyway.... you didn't miss-type the word once. You used the term "virus" several times. If someone is going to post to a medically related thread and preface their remarks by stating their qualifications to offer the information then I feel their posts should be held to a higher standard than the average poster.

 

People assume that those in the medical field know what they are talking about. Unfortunately, it isn't always the case. And since I am also in the medical field, a physician, I stand by my statement.

 

I've seen many posts from people identifying themselves as "working in health care." Most display an impressive knowledge. But some go on to make statements that indicate a scary lack of understanding of the subject. When challenged, they'll respond "well, I am a unit secretary" or they are a patient care aide in a nursing home, or work in patient transport at the hospital. There are many people working in health care who, while providing valuable services, do not have the education or credentials to speak with authority on certain subjects, but they invariably do. What's really disturbing is when these well meaning folks give advice about medicines or about how to treat/prevent illnesses.

[crusinmama06]

After nearly 20 years in the TV news business, I love reading the remarks about only the "bad" news that is reported. But honestly, if you see the research I have seen you would understand why news organizations choose the news they do. I mean think about it - there are entire networks dedicated to "entertaining" you with tragic health stories. I watched an entire hour show the other night about a woman who had a brain malformity. I wanted to go to sleep, but I had to see how it ended! Yes, there is the argument that news is news, and TV entertainment is just that. But TV news is a business and like any business it has to show a profit. The way they do that is with ratings.

 

I was the one who said in this thread that "It must have been a slow news week". The reason I said it is because I own an ad agency/public relations firm and my background is 10 years in the broadcast news business. ;)

 

So I know by experience if it bleeds, it leads. :p

 

So I wasn't bashing the news business, just stating a fact. :D

[nrdsb4]

Okay, just to clarify, the docs I work for don't "cave." We've actually had patients leave our practice because our docs were adamant about not giving antibiotics for a cold. But having said that, there are plenty of doctors out there who are way to quick to pull out the prescription pad just to get the patient off their backs. The thing that annoys me is that I could count on one hand how many times my kids had antibiotics during their childhood. But I will still pay the price for the idiots who used them every time their kids nose started running. BTW, low co-pays don't help the situation. Parents rush their kids into the pediatrician's office at the drop of a hat because they either have no co-pay or a very small one. When my kids were little, I held off until absolutely necessary because doctor's visits weren't covered by insurance until you reached a very high deductible. We try to tell parents who constantly bring their kids in for minor illnesses that they are more likely to pick up something while their at the doctor's office, so unless necessary, they needn't come in. Even though we keep our sick and well sides separated by different waiting rooms and different exam rooms on opposite sides of the building, there is still cross contamination.

 

Great post. I never considered the low co-pay influence on patient/parent behavior.

[boscobeans]

Another good reason to avoid public hot tubs.... Pseudomonas aeruginosa...

A nasty little critter that causes what many people call Hot Tub Itch.

This like many other nasties is all around us but it loves hot tubs. Once a tub is infected with it, simple cleaning or draining and cleaning is not enough to get rid of it. Testing for chlorine to see if it is up to proper levels is useless since Pseudomonas aeruginosa grows fine in normal or even chlorine shocked pools. Tub must be drained and scrub-cleaned (straight bleach 5%) all spa surfaces must be cleaned (again straight bleach) then the plumbing has to be carefully disinfected with high levels of chlorine. Remember that once a spa is cleaned it can be reinfected very easily.

 

Back in high school ( 45 years ago ) before we used the pool we had to shower and walk through a foot bath containing a strong chlorine solution..

[rgtkkb]

The responses on this thread provide very little information on the original question of whether people get MRSA from hot tubs. (Although it is very clear that a lot of posters think public hot tubs are yucky and that MRSA is very bad.) Based on the little information provided, it appears that I am much more likely to get MRSA from the fitness center than from the hot tub. (Not that I need another excuse to avoid exercising.)

[FrancescaH]

Okay, just to clarify, the docs I work for don't "cave." We've actually had patients leave our practice because our docs were adamant about not giving antibiotics for a cold. But having said that, there are plenty of doctors out there who are way to quick to pull out the prescription pad just to get the patient off their backs. The thing that annoys me is that I could count on one hand how many times my kids had antibiotics during their childhood. But I will still pay the price for the idiots who used them every time their kids nose started running. BTW, low co-pays don't help the situation. Parents rush their kids into the pediatrician's office at the drop of a hat because they either have no co-pay or a very small one. When my kids were little, I held off until absolutely necessary because doctor's visits weren't covered by insurance until you reached a very high deductible. We try to tell parents who constantly bring their kids in for minor illnesses that they are more likely to pick up something while their at the doctor's office, so unless necessary, they needn't come in. Even though we keep our sick and well sides separated by different waiting rooms and different exam rooms on opposite sides of the building, there is still cross contamination.

 

You are right that too many parents take their little ones in for mere colds or flu and push doctors for antibiotics. I have seen it time and again on parenting boards I belong to. My son has only been to the doctor for anything other than a wellness check up once and that was for an ear infection when he was an infant. It's a small office and too many times he showed symptoms of a cold or flu a day or 2 after a doctor's visit so we avoid going unless it's absolutely necessary.

[louanne93]

I think the best way to protect yourself is by using antibacterial soap and lotion. You really can get it anywhere. If you do use the hot tub...just shower afterwards in your cabin. I wouldn't go in if you have any cuts or scrapes that bacteria can get into. Use your best judgement. It really has been around for quite awhile.

 

Don't live your life in fear...Just protect yourself. My son still wrestles and participates in sports, we are just aware that it is out there and you can get it.:)

[SeaLuvrrr]

The responses on this thread provide very little information on the original question of whether people get MRSA from hot tubs. (Although it is very clear that a lot of posters think public hot tubs are yucky and that MRSA is very bad.) Based on the little information provided, it appears that I am much more likely to get MRSA from the fitness center than from the hot tub. (Not that I need another excuse to avoid exercising.)

 

Agreed! The key really is to drink enough alcohol so that it's coming out of your pores. That'll take care of any potential cootie infiltration. :D

[Tranquil Waters]

The responses on this thread provide very little information on the original question of whether people get MRSA from hot tubs. (Although it is very clear that a lot of posters think public hot tubs are yucky and that MRSA is very bad.) Based on the little information provided, it appears that I am much more likely to get MRSA from the fitness center than from the hot tub. (Not that I need another excuse to avoid exercising.)

 

OK, OK, I hate it when people want facts and data ;) :

 

 

HOT-TUB

 

Poorly-maintained hot-tubs can be a breeding ground for dangerous bacteria, according to research by a team from Texas A&M University earlier this year.

 

They tested 43 water samples from private and public whirlpool baths, only to find all had some kind of microbial growth.

Whereas a teaspoon of tap water contains about 138 bacteria, a teaspoon of whirlpool tub water had an average of 2.17million bugs.

Bacteria derived from faeces were present in 95 per cent of samples, while 34 per cent contained potentially deadly staphylococcus bacteria.

And the warm temperature makes matters worse: the chlorine in the tubs loses much of its disinfecting power, while the bugs thrive.

 

According to the Health Protection Agency, spas were the cause of 27 cases of legionnaires' disease and three deaths in 2003.

 

The US Centre for Disease Control, which has investigated the effects of whirlpools, says the term 'hot-tub lung' covers several conditions, including pneumonia and a hypersensitivity or allergic reaction to the chemicals in the water.

 

The most common culprits are mycobacteria, which live in the slime that forms on the inside of wet hot-tub pipes. When the water jets are switched on, they are propelled into the bubbles.

'The best way to prevent such bacteria from forming is to clean out the pipes,' says Dr Rita Moyes, who led the Texas study.

_________________________________

 

 

It gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling when I see the RCI staff out there cleaning the pipes on a regualar basis..... :D :D

[Cruising4theFirstTime]

I am not a health care professional, but I was a bio major, so I would have no excuse not to know the difference between viruses and bacteria or that antibiotics do nothing for viruses. But I knew these things long before college, so it's crazy to me how many people are still ignorant of these facts. Still, I agree that it is the doctor's responsibility to educate these people rather than give them the antibiotics just to get them off their backs. No matter how much a patient demands it, the doctors need to tell them "no" and explain WHY. And yeah, as someone else pointed out, we need to all finish our antibiotics when they are necessary too.

 

Back to the immediate topic at hand, I wouldn't doubt that MRSA could be spread in hot tubs, but so can many other bugs...

[louanne93]

OK, OK, I hate it when people want facts and data ;) :

 

 

HOT-TUB

 

Poorly-maintained hot-tubs can be a breeding ground for dangerous bacteria, according to research by a team from Texas A&M University earlier this year.

 

They tested 43 water samples from private and public whirlpool baths, only to find all had some kind of microbial growth.

Whereas a teaspoon of tap water contains about 138 bacteria, a teaspoon of whirlpool tub water had an average of 2.17million bugs.

Bacteria derived from faeces were present in 95 per cent of samples, while 34 per cent contained potentially deadly staphylococcus bacteria.

And the warm temperature makes matters worse: the chlorine in the tubs loses much of its disinfecting power, while the bugs thrive.

 

According to the Health Protection Agency, spas were the cause of 27 cases of legionnaires' disease and three deaths in 2003.

 

The US Centre for Disease Control, which has investigated the effects of whirlpools, says the term 'hot-tub lung' covers several conditions, including pneumonia and a hypersensitivity or allergic reaction to the chemicals in the water.

 

The most common culprits are mycobacteria, which live in the slime that forms on the inside of wet hot-tub pipes. When the water jets are switched on, they are propelled into the bubbles.

'The best way to prevent such bacteria from forming is to clean out the pipes,' says Dr Rita Moyes, who led the Texas study.

_________________________________

 

 

It gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling when I see the RCI staff out there cleaning the pipes on a regualar basis..... :D :D

 

Nice Post!!