A Scourge of Drug-Resistant Staph Infections

Nearly one in twenty patients carry drug-resistant staph bacteria, a number ten times higher than previous estimates, say researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The findings come amid mounting public concern about the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in health care facilities and community settings. Medical experts consider the rise of so-called superbugs, such as MRSA, a leading cause of deadly blood infections and pneumonias, one of the most alarming public-health threats in the nation.

"We're hoping this survey is a wake-up call to health care workers across America," said Kathy Warye, the [Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology's] executive officer.

The study used a "single day snapshot" model, extrapolating to the entire country the medical records for a single day of over 1,300
health care facilities. It's far from a perfect method, but the results are disturbing: using mortality rates from the CDC's previous estimates of MRSA, up to 48,000 people may die every year from the bug.

Where did MRSA come from? The intricate dance of evolution, with natural selection favoring drug-resistant bacteria -- a process accelerated by over-reliance on and misuse of antibiotics. But people aren't done upgrading the medical arsenal, either....

Related Wired coverage here and here.

Hospital infection rate on rise [Baltimore Sun]