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Expert: Misuse Of Antibiotics Can Lead To MRSA

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Oct 26, 2007 7:40 pm US/Eastern

Expert: Misuse Of Antibiotics Can Lead To MRSA

Says Staph Common, But Superbug Something Else

NEW YORK (CBS) ―

Click to enlarge 1 of 1: Omar Rivera, a seventh grader from Brooklyn, died recently from the MRSA superbug staph infection.
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CDC: Information About MRSA

So how did MRSA become so stubborn and potentially lethal? And is there any way to treat it?

The headlines have some parents viewing the neighborhood playground as a bacterial jungle.

But at NYU Medical Center, the MRSA bacteria are as common as a test tube and a Petri dish.

"Most people can carry staph at one time or another," said Dr. Philip Tierno, Chief of Microbiology at NYU. "About 25-50 percent may have staph on the body."

What's changed is the recent emergence of bacteria that's more lethal and harder to treat. Hospital-acquired MRSA and community-acquired MRSA are an outgrowth of the over-use -- and misuse -- of antibiotics.

"We use them like we use gumdrops, popcorn, candy, and we use them in a very free manner, and that's been the driving force of this antibiotic resistance," Dr. Tierno said.

Left untreated, MRSA can be deadly.

"They carry toxins," Dr. Tierno said. "These toxins are systemic poisons that can actually kill you."

But not if it's treated. Combinations of antibiotics are highly successful in killing the bacteria.

The prevention of community-acquired MRSA is decidedly low-tech. It calls for a lot of hand-washing and a little common sense when it comes to dealing with cuts and bruises.

Doctors recommend you:

* Wash hands frequently

* Clean and bandage all cuts and wounds

* Don't share clothing or towels

* And see a doctor if you notice oozing boils or cuts on your body.

Some are calling for legislation to impose more stringent measures upon hospitals.

For now, experts say the answer is not to panic -- just to be careful.

Stay with wcbstv.com and CBS 2 for the latest in this developing story.

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