Antibiotics and the Link to Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)

Are we now beginning to reap the consequences of antibiotic overuse? Can MRSA, sometimes referred to as a superbug, be linked to the indiscriminate and improper use of antibiotics? Are antibiotics used in poultry and livestock food sources linked to MRSA?

A healthy human body will normally do a pretty good job of protecting itself from bacteria in that a healthy immune system produces natural antibodies. But there is now evidence that indiscriminate and improper use of antibiotics can weaken the immune system and contribute to the creation of drug-resistant "superbugs." MRSA is just such a superbug.

According to an online article entitled "Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection," author Dr. Alan Johnson provides a simple explanation of MRSA. He writes that MRSA is an infection resistant to antibiotics in the penicillin class, including methicillin and other newer and better penicillin-type antibiotics. Over time, certain strains of Staphylococcus aureus have emerged that are completely resistant to all penicillin-type drugs. Other types of antibiotics can still treat MSRA, but most are unavailable in tablet or pill form and must be administered either by injection or an IV drip.

MRSA used to be acquired primarily in hospitals and nursing care facilities. Now it's showing up outside of medical facilities and is known to cause skin and soft tissue infections, severe bloodstream infections and even death in vulnerable or debilitated individuals with weakened immune systems.

In healthy individuals, the immune system becomes stronger and better able to fight bacteria and infection with each exposure. However, according to the December 2007 issue of "Alternatives Newsletter," researchers are said to have found that white blood cells are less able to attack and destroy bacteria that have been treated with antibiotics, and fewer natural antibodies are then produced. If that is in fact the case, it stands to reason that the more often antibiotics are indiscriminately prescribed, the weaker the body's own immune system eventually becomes.

According to an FDA online article entitled "Miracle Drugs vs. Superbugs Experts," author Tamar Nordenberg writes that some experts believe too many doctors are quick to prescribe antibiotics for virtually every symptom, when antibiotics don't work against viruses such as the flu or the common cold. The article says that a CDC study found that more than 50 million of the 150 million antibiotic prescriptions written every year are unnecessary.

It's also known that when antibiotics are prescribed to fight an infection, all of the bacteria are not killed right away. In some cases, it may take as many as a few days before a prescribed antibiotic will kill all of the targeted bacteria. If a patient takes the prescribed antibiotic improperly - such as not taking the full regimen because they are feeling well again - the stronger or more resistant bacteria are not killed, but left to reproduce. As this process is repeated, new, mutated strains of drug-resistant bacteria are produced.

"Alternatives" also suggests that another contributing problem are the antibiotics given to livestock and poultry that eventually end up on our dinner tables. Antibiotics are routinely given to livestock and poultry to both promote growth and to prevent the spread of infections within a herd or flock. The weaker bacteria are killed, but stronger and more resistant bacteria remain and reproduce. We eat the residues of these antibiotics in many of our foods, and of course bacteria, being exposed to the drugs at every turn, find ways to resist their deadly properties.

So, what's a person to do? First, don't panic. Remember that most MRSA fatalities occur among the very elderly, the very young and those with compromised immune systems. MRSA is generally passed through physical contact with an infected person. Therefore, keep cuts or wounds covered or bandaged, and don't hesitate to disinfect or wipe down things in your home that might've been touched by someone who is sick. Diluted chlorine bleach or hydrogen peroxide both are effective disinfectants. Finally, when ill and seeking medical attention, don't insist the doctor prescribe an antibiotic unless absolutely necessary.

Resources:

Article, "Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection;" http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/diseases/facts/mrsa.htm

Alternatives Newsletter, December 2007, Vol. 12, No. 6

Article, "Miracle Drugs vs. Superbugs;" http://www.fda.gov/FDAC/features/1998/698_bugs.html