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New Resistant Strain of Bacteria Discovered
10/17/07

Today I heard a story on NPR about a new "superbug" that caused ear infections in children that were resistant to all currently recommended antibiotics used to treat this infection. The emergence of this new, difficult to treat infection is, most likely, due to the significant over use of antibiotics to treat viral infections.  This over use is, in part, due to physicians who aren't being careful enough to use them only when clinically indicated and, in part, due to patients who request (or demand) antibiotic treatment for a viral upper respiratory infection. Antibiotics cause resistant strains of bacteria to emerge by killing off strains that are susceptible, thereby allowing resistant bugs that emerge over time to proliferate.


So, a warning to patients who may have gotten the idea that colds and sinus infections need a "Z pack", be a little more reticent to take antibiotics for an upper respiratory infection, since over 90% of them are viral and, thus, don't respond to antibiotic treatment.  If enough of us do this, it will decrease the risk of emergence of increasing numbers of these "super bugs" that have the potential to wreck havoc on our system.


Your comments are always welcome...


(www.wnbc.com)

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