Reader Comments

" The MRSA scare is just another example of media hype in order to sell a story. I am not going to repeat what has already been typed by others before me. "

" This disease has been around for years. It is essentially the same bacteria as "staph" as everyone knows it. It is not uncommon for people to have a staph bacteria on their skin or their nasal cavity. The body is designed to fight off these bacterias with a natural immunity, however the over prescribing of antibiotics has not allowed the body to use this natural defense mechanism. MRSA is methocillin resistant staphlycoccus aureus, which simply means staphlycoccus aureus is resistant to methocillin (a form of penicillin). The drug methocillin us generally use to kill staph. Why after nurses, doctors, and other members of the healthcare field have known this existed for years, why know make it such a public urgency? Perhaps, to but the sales of hand santizer, the use of antibacterial soap andother antibacterial products. Was this story planted in the headlines by the makers of these products to boost sales? "

" This is just another example of the media creating an issue where non really exists. Why do we always have to be in the middle of some threat to health?? Any person who has EVER been inside a nursing home, hospital, or doctor's office has had contact with MRSA. This is NOT something new. Why is the media, including the Ledger, so prone to sensationalizing issues? Are you that hard up for sales, or just plain irresponsible? "

" I have been aware of MRSA for a long time. It is nothing new. It is now the disease "scare" of the week for the media. What has happened to the pandemic flu that was supposed to kill us last year? The media has latched on to MRSA and now it is the big scare. It is ridiculous. MRSA is a direct result of people going to their doctors and demanding antibiotics every time they, or their children, have the sniffles. We need to fight off these minor infections to build an immunity. What has happened now is that we have given the germs a chance to build their immunity to our antibiotics by over prescribing. This whole alcohol gel sanitizer is a bad idea, too. We can't live in a germ-free environment. It is ridiculous to try. We need to get a grip, quit overreacting, and stop trying to "sanitize" everything. There is another bug, just as dangerous called VRE. This is also a result of over treating with antibiotics. It is killed by IV antibiotics. How long do you think we can continue to try to sanitize the environment until that little bug is prevalent?? "

" sorry, but mrsa can be airborne if in the respiratory system (LUNGS). if it is a skin infection, then no it isn't airborne, it is contact-to-contact infection. like more information stated, this has been around for years (I have been in healthcare for 15 years, and it has been around at least that long). it is a common thing to find this infection in a hospital or long-term care facility on a daily basis (in wound infections, respiartory infections or septecemia (blood infection). the main cause of MRSA is overprescribing of antibiotics and the multiple antibacterial handsoaps, lotion, etc. the body's natual immune system fights small bacterial infections in our body and causes natual immunity helping to prevent larger infections from bacteria. however, our bodies don't get a chance to make natural antibodies against these bacterias anymore because none is ever introduced into our bodies. we our guilty of causing these diseases ourselves (as the human race in a whole),no other source is..so consider whether or not the use of antibacterial products are really worth the risk of creating more antibiotic resistance strains of these common bacterias. "

" With the MRSA bacteria the antibiotics that used to kill staph infections don't work. Hence:Methicillin resistant. The penicillin based drugs don't work. Bactrim and Keflex are used, succesfully, in killing the skin eruptions infected with MRSA. That being said, left untreated this bacteria can get into the blood stream and some vital organs and then you have bigger problems and the need for high powered IV antibiotics. So for goodness sake if you have the symptoms listed in this article get it checked out and treated early on. "

" I realize there are more cases locally than most people suspect but my question is this: from what I have gathered, antibiotics do not work on these bacteria...is this the case? "

" good job on mrsa "

" The media is making this out to sound like this MRSA just came up. It has been around for a while. As this article states this is not a reportable "disease" or ailment. There are many cases of this in the area and no one knows about it. It would scare this community if they knew how many cases are seen each day in doctors offices and the local ER's. By the time the results come back from the lab usually 24-48 hours the person is already on the antibiotics and back to normal activities. The bigger problems come when someone has a weakened immune system with other ailments such as HIV, diabetes, or any other chronic illnesses. I personally have had this MRSA and was around my family and no one else contracted it. Keep washing your hands and do not share your towels, razors or items of this nature with anyone. Keep in mind though this will not go away without treatment. Good news both antibiotics used to treat MRSA are on the $4 list at Wal-Mart. So do not hesitate to get treatment if you have the symptoms listed in this article. "