Just in time for Halloween: Superbugs

Though, hardly a brand-new development, news of antibiotic-resistant superbugs, has been out in the news recently, including a handful of tragic incidents involving children.

You can find lots of articles from multiple media sources, but here is a good one from Reuters via Scientific American, called Two reports show "superbug" bacteria spread.

Now, I'm not normally prone to worrying over all the worldly threats out there. I have mixed feelings about warning my four year-old about "being careful of strangers." (But that's a topic for another day.) There is something about these constantly evolving bacteria that gives me the heebie jeebies. It's the kind of thing that makes one fantasize about moving away from civilization to in order to protect one's self from all the ills and potential ills of the world. Of course, there is no escape.

As always, all we can do is minimize risk. It amazes me how much better we can do. A couple of surveys on personal hygiene shows much is desired. In this survey only 90% of women and 75% of men were observed on average washing their hands after using a public restroom. The disparity between men and women's cleanliness should surprise no one who has been in a men's restroom. My guess is that the number is much lower in the home, where people don't have peer pressure and probably feel more sanitary that at an Atlanta Braves game. In another survey last year, 2 out of 3 adults admit that don't consistently wash their hands. This CBS News article sums up the findings nicely.

I must be clear that the "superbug" MRSA bacteria aren't alleged to be spreading in the restrooms of public sporting events. What's more, this strain requires some sort of skin puncture to get into the bloodstream and infect the person. It's just that it seems we can be cleaner on many fronts, as well as maybe not overuse antibiotics.

Of course, there is some suspicion out there that raising young kids in sterile environments doesn't allow them to develop healthy immune systems and makes them more prone to allergies. It just goes to show you can't win.