Super Staph Bug Stalks Hospitals

My uncle has cancer and isn't doing very well. He's been in and out of the hospital the past couple of months. The last time in he had a small procedure that is not normally a problem but for him became life-threatening. He got an antibiotic-resistant staph infection that has really laid him low, zapping the strength he needs to cope with chemotherapy and fight the cancer.

As many as 5% of hospital and nursing home patients have been infected with a dangerous, drug-resistant staph germ, according to a recent comprehensive study. Fully 30,000 hospital patients might have the superbug at any given time. It is a huge problem for health care facilities where it is associated with skin infections, blood infections, pneumonia and other illnesses.

Spread by touch, the deadly germ thrives in health-care environments where people have open wounds, including bed sores. Outbreaks are most prevalent in emergency room, dialysis and intensive care patients. Recently, however, there have been community-related outbreaks of the superbug affecting prisoners, children and athletes, with the germ spread through skin contact or shared towels.

Experts now believe that the drug-resistant staph germ is 10 times more prevalent than previously believed. Hopefully, this will spur drug companies to redouble their efforts to develop an effective antibiotic t0 fight the superbug.