Is MRSA really more common in schools? Probably not, since schools are the only folks who report MRSA infections or who are really try to "do something about it," using the parlance of a widespread public panic. Senator Schumer wants to start reporting MRSA. I hope he appreciates the cost of culturing every skin lesion larger than a pimple on a teenager's backside. (I spend a fair amount of time complaining about the quality of Republican and conservative logic and rhetoric, but here we have a perfect example of hair-brained ideas from the other end of the political spectrum.)
Another example is of a politician in Philadelphia who is dedicated to raising awareness about MRSA. This makes me wonder about resistant strep which will kill many more people if it gets loose. How about VRE, anybody? Maybe we should raise money for research the way we do for highways: “This bacterium adopted by the Rotary Club of Poughkeepsie.” You’d think that someone running for Philadelphia city council would be a little more concerned that murder could be a leading cause of death in certain sub-populations in parts of the city.
Although the NYT published an article that compared the risk of MRSA to other rare events (TOH, Kevin, MD) and people with the authority of Dr. RW, medpundit, Dr. Anonymous and the CDC keep offering updates the panic apparently continues, fanned by political rhetoric. (Yes, I have also previously written something on MRSA, but far be it for me to draw undue attention to myself...)
I don't know, maybe it's about the lawsuits. Maybe it's about TV ratings? All I know is that it is not about how many people are dying from MRSA. Here is a report that most people who die from MRSA are sufficiently ill to be dying of other causes anyway.
What are we doing about MRSA? Exactly what we should be. Additional ideas are welcome as long as they are not coming from tabloids, bad TV news shows and irresponsible senators.
4 comments:
I too wrote about MRSA in my blog but it was mainly informational. MRSA is the disease of the month and it will fade as some new scare tactic is found. The next one might be diseases you get from animals (CDC mentioned that) or diseases you get from Imigrants. Scaring the public is the American Way.
Reporting and cleaning aren't going to solve this growing epidemic...
If these politicians really wanted a solution - they would focus on bringing cures like phage therapy to the US!
This article enraged me. I just lost my father becasue of HA MRSA pneumonia. He was in the hospital for 12 days to rehab from a minor ankle fracture. HIs hospital gave him a death sentence.
Your comment that most people who die of MRSA are dying of somthing else anyway is insensitive and inaccurate. You have the usual arrogant doctor attitude that "it happens and we just can't do anything about it"
MRSA is NO JOKE, ever.
Anonymous, as you correctly point out, MRSA is no joke, but the point of this post is that politicians were making it a joke with their laughable parading in front of the cameras in the hope of making the evening news.
In the year + since I wrote this post, hospitals have continued making improvements in infection control procedures. Serious and sober attempts to mitigate the risk take time. The fact that these infections are now in the community and not just a hospital problem is alarming. The underlying problem of general antibiotic overuse continues unabated and pressure from patients contribute, however indirectly.
The problem is large and complicated. I cannot comment on your father's specific situation, but I doubt any explanation would be satisfactory. I cannot imagine the intensity of your grief and anger. I cannot offer any meaning or purpose to an event that reminds me of the fragility of life and our lack of anticipating and controlling every potential outcome, even the bad ones.
I am sorry about your father and I hope you get some answers.
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