Patients visiting their local hospital for surgery or treatment may be increasingly at risk of contracting a bacteria with a strong immunity to antibiotics, according to a new survey released June 25 by the Association for Professionals in Infection Control & Epidemiology, Inc.

Staphylococcus aureus, also known as "staph," organisms are a common bacteria that live on the skin and in the nasal passages of roughly 30 percent of the U.S. population, but can cause difficulties when the immune system is weakened or the skin broken.

In order to combat infections related to this bacteria, hospitals began employing the use of Methicillin in 1959, which would give rise to evidence of Methicillin-immune bacteria just two years later.

Today, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, is an increasing problem in hospitals, as cases of the mutant infection have gone from two percent in 1972 to 60 percent today.

"All hospitals are dealing with this issue," said registered nurse Kathy Palusko. "Locally, we have had a focus on it for several years. It is not new to us. When we look at our infection prevention program, we do a risk assessment and do everything we can to minimize any risk of infection occurring with our patients."

Palusko, who has worked in nursing for 30 years, has spent the last nine years of her tenure at Hanford Community Medical Center as director of infection control.

"The antibiotics we used to use to treat MRSA are no longer effective against this particular type of staph, but there are still other antibiotics that will treat it," Palusko said. "The concern is that these infections are increasing, which is the primary reason that prompted the study and the guidelines on how to reduce its spread."

Some estimate that more than 50 percent of emergency room visits to treat skin infection are caused by MRSA, according to the APIC report.

Hanford Community Medical Center has a system in place to monitor for patients who have tested positive for carrying the bacteria. These patients are treated with certain precautions, as to keep the bacteria from spreading to another environment or host.

The medical center also signed a contract this July with two infectious disease physicians to give expert advice on any communicative disease situation that arises.

"We have put into place different practices that will keep our patients from getting infections," Palusko said. "Can I say that we are at absolute zero and no one will get an infection, no, but every day we are looking at how we can get to that point and prevent any infections from occurring."

Symptoms of the infection can include swollen sections of skin that are painful to the touch, fever, warmth, muscle aches, fatigue, rash and shortness of breath.

Very serious cases of this infection can even include blood poisoning, pneumonia and an infection of the heart valves and lining.

Concerned citizens can do numerous things to ensure that this bacteria isn't carried into their own homes.

"As basic as this may sound, the public needs to understand that hand hygiene really helps us to prevent the spread of this disease. Studies show that the bacteria can spread from person to person through skin contact, but can be stopped by doing proper hand cleaning."

Precautions should also be taken to avoid sharing personal items, such as razors and towels, and to pursue proper treatment for skin wounds. Children should be taught to wash their hands regularly and to cough or sneeze into their sleeves rather than their hands, as their hands are more likely to come into contact with another person and spread disease.

"If you visit the doctor and he doesn't give you an antibiotic for your illness, don't be mad at him," Palusko said. "Parents need to understand that you don't always need an antibiotic when you or your child has a cold, which is caused by a virus. Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections and not viral infections.

"Germs want to live like we like to live and they can adapt to these medicines, which is why it is important to take them only when needed."

It is unknown at this time why MRSA cases are becoming more widespread, but speculation leads some scientists to believe that the overuse of antibiotics to treat sick livestock and lesser illnesses in hospital patients may be responsible for making the disease so resistant to treatment.

This reporter can be reached at 582-0471, ext. 3051.

(July 10, 2007)