The Superbug

[imoldernu]

Major breaking news from the medical community:
(about the superbug)
https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/dangerous-superbugs-kill-more-people-previously-thought-n1081086.

 

[audreyh1]

Imoldernu - aren’t you watching too much alarmist TV?

There are plenty of nasty scenarios for which there seems little point in preparing. You can spend the rest of your life worrying and preparing for some nasty scenario. Or you can spend the rest of it making the most of the health and well-being you have today.

I’m prudent in my choices and not squandering my assets or health, but beyond that so much of my future is out of my control that I don’t worry about it. Nor do I pay attention to any media trying to make me worry about the future. They are looking to line their pockets at my expense.

 

[Rianne]

I used to get panicked over the possibility of pandemics as Mad Cow Disease, E Bola, Lymes Disease, Mersa and even the flu. Then I decided worrying about such things is causing me more harm than accepting they exist and moving on.

 

[imoldernu]

Imoldernu - aren’t you watching too much alarmist TV?

Perhaps... but after reading the article, I think the subject will be important in the future.

 

[donheff]

Imoldernu is oldernme and I am inspired that he's still posting comprehensibly. Kind of a canary in the coal mine for us following shortly behind. And a bit of paranoia is in order as we age out.

 

[pacergal]

As someone who worked in the medical community, Superbugs are a big concern. Too many are now resistant to our antibiotics, and science is having difficulty developing medications to deal with them.
Best defense is a good offense : wash you hands frequently.
I use hand sanitizer even after touching the menus at restaurants!

 

[imoldernu]

Best defense is a good offense : wash you hands frequently.
I use hand sanitizer even after touching the menus at restaurants!

+1
I watched a special on AlJazeera that was almost entirely devoted to that single subject. New rules for workers in many disciplines and new ways of staying clean...new style of easy on easy off gloves, individual multiple hand washing sinks, as well as a new global project for cafeteria style, multiple person feeding places such as schools, hospitals, care centers etc... where danger of multiple infections would be more likely.

TromboneAl posted a story theme for a Global Pandemic, that was a long range view of the dangers that could be lurking.

http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f38/pls-help-with-global-pandemic-95799.html

Almost forgotten today, the 1918 influenza epidemic of 1918, which infected 500 million people and killed as many as 100 million.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_flu

At that time, the world population was under 2Billion people, versus almost 8Billion today

 

[audreyh1]

Perhaps... but after reading the article, I think the subject will be important in the future.

A thousand things might be important in the future. You can’t tell ahead of time which will have the biggest impact.

I did think the article gave practical advice, all of which I am already doing in terms of hygiene and careful use of antibiotics and care to restore the gut biome. But in terms of pandemics - way out of my hands.

 

[Gumby]

I actually feel safer now that we are retired, as we come into contact with far fewer people who could transmit a communicable disease. When she was teaching, the young wife was constantly exposed to all the little disease vectors in her classroom.

 

[MRG]

+1
I watched a special on AlJazeera that was almost entirely devoted to that single subject. New rules for workers in many disciplines and new ways of staying clean...new style of easy on easy off gloves, individual multiple hand washing sinks, as well as a new global project for cafeteria style, multiple person feeding places such as schools, hospitals, care centers etc... where danger of multiple infections would be more likely.

TromboneAl posted a story theme for a Global Pandemic, that was a long range view of the dangers that could be lurking.

http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f38/pls-help-with-global-pandemic-95799.html

Almost forgotten today, the 1918 influenza epidemic of 1918, which infected 500 million people and killed as many as 100 million.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_flu

At that time, the world population was under 2Billion people, versus almost 8Billion today

Even before the 1918 epidemic there were many regional flus. My grandfather was orphaned as his DF died in 1893 and DM in 1895. Same regional flu, never left the valley they lived in. Oh yeah no effective antibiotics.

 

[NW-Bound]

It's good for retirees to be able to avoid the mob and go out for necessities when people are at work. It minimizes contact with the public.

 

[msieweke]

Almost forgotten today, the 1918 influenza epidemic of 1918, which infected 500 million people and killed as many as 100 million.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_flu

This article from "Clinical and Infectious Diseases" makes a strong case that the high death rate in 1918 could be attributed to mis-use of aspirin. Just another reason I prefer to stay out of the belly of the beast (the medical system).
https://academic.oup.com/cid/article/49/9/1405/301441

 

[timo2]

Apparently the super bugs are not that big a problem as there are still 7.7 billion humans hanging around the planet.

 

[Brat]

Last night I was listening to the This Week in Microbiology podcast. Interesting discussion of bacteria who go dormant in the body avoiding antibiotics but come back to life later (persisters). Our immune system sees the dormant bugs but can't reach them. This Week in Microbiology | The podcast that explores unseen life on Earth

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31608580

 

[6miths]

They are reporting that the number of dead is twice what they were previously reporting. Now counted at 35,000 per year. Still less than the number that die by either guns or motor vehicle accidents. In terms of Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALYs) lost, the burden of 'illness' from guns and MVAs is much higher as these tend to be younger and healthier individuals.

That said, definitely, measures need to be taken to curb the widespread and often unnecessary use of antibiotics. Somewhat hard to convince the companies selling antibiotics of that though. Or the individuals who think they need them for every sore throat, sinus, ear, etc. The human race survived quite nicely without antibiotics which were only developed starting in the early 20th century, I expect that it will survive quite nicely when they are no longer effective.

 

[Marita40]

Huge deal for me. I had c-diff and it was horrible. Got cured and am just fine, but I learned more than I wanted to about superbugs and am vigilant. Antibiotics brought it on and therefore I am very careful about there use and will not use them unless there's an overwhelming need.

 

[YakGrl]

C-diff was the final cause of death for my father after hospital antibiotics for heart bypass surgery.
MRSA was a factor in my sister's death after infection following knee replacement.
Hospitals are horrible breeding grounds for these problems.
I don't think the general public is aware of how big this problem is.

 

[Car-Guy]

Hospitals are horrible breeding grounds for these problems.
I don't think the general public is aware of how big this problem is.

Yep, BIL pickup a severe sepsis infection while in a hospital... It almost killed him.

 

[Ready-4-ER-at-14]

I did some microbiology in the past, and am old enough to remember doctors who still had pre antibiotic training. Re urinary track infections (UTIs) I believe they used gentian violet (crystal violet?) which turned the urine purple. I wonder if that treatment is still effective and safe?

 

[GenXguy]

Perhaps... but after reading the article, I think the subject will be important in the future.

Indeed, from what I've been gathering over the years, this problem is going to get a lot worse. I remember hearing in recent years that we are headed into a post-antibacterial world. Pretty scary - and people should be.

The worst is yet to come - this is just getting started.

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In other medical news, I just saw a mainstream news story that statins are proclaimed as a miracle drug that a recent large study shows can be more effective than surgery for heart disease.