According to a recent report, six people from Colorado were infected with what's called a 'nightmare superbug' that previously has only been limited to hospitals.
The bacteria is very resistant even to powerful antibiotics
Known as carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteraceae, or CRE, the nightmare superbug is notoriously hard to treat since the bacteria is very resistant even to powerful antibiotics. Additionally, they are highly lethal, killing up to 50% of patients who become infected.
Before, cases of CRE infections have been limited to cases seen within hospitals, as the bacteria usually appears within people who have been treated with certain types of medical procedures or devices which contribute to the resistance of the bacteria to treatment.
The people infected did not stay inside a health care facility recently
According to a new report from the CDC, the six people who were reported as being infected with CRE did not stay inside a health care facility recently, nor did they undergo any treatments which would explain why they were infected with CRE.
They say that the cases might be "community related" infections, which means that they picked up the bacteria outside of a health care setting. This news is very alarming since it means that the CRE is now moving from within the confines of a hospital to a wider community.
The CDC will be monitoring the spread throughout the area and they will also try and determine whether this trend is also happening in other places in the US.
Go to the next page to learn more about protecting you and your family from superbugs.
How to protect you and your family from superbugs
With the widespread use of antibiotics, a lot of infectious bacteria are slowly starting to develop an immunity towards various methods of treatment. This is why we need to make sure that our family is always safe from disease.
- Do not panic. While antibiotic-resistant bacteria is indeed very dangerous, most people usually have nothing to be scared of, especially if they're healthy. That's why you have to make sure that you and your family are always in the pink of health, so that your body is naturally resistant to diseases.
- Know the different signs. If you think that you or your children have been infected with a superbug, then you contact your doctor so that they can do some tests in order to find out if the infection is indeed a superbug or not.
- Hand washing is very important. Frequent hand washing is also very important if you want to keep your family safe. Hand washing is the best and simplest way to prevent disease. Wash your hands with soap and water for about 15 secs on each hand, and make sure to dry them thoroughly afterwards.
- Keep away from antibacterial soap. Antibacterial soap actually doesn't kill more bacteria than regular soap. If anything, it just pollutes the environment, and makes bacteria much more resistant.
- Get immunized. Make sure that you and your family are up-to-date on your vaccines. Vaccines can greatly improve your immune system and help you combat a lot of diseases.
- Ask your doctor if you really need that antibiotic. Sometimes, doctors have a habit of prescribing antibiotics too often, which can cause bacteria to develop a resistance. That's why if you think that your doctor prescribes too much antibiotics, then don't be afraid to ask for a second opinion from another doctor.
Sources: livescience.com, huffingtonpost.com, pbs.org
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