MRSA in Schools

According to the Lewis County, WA Chronicle, MRSA has been around since the 60’s and well known since the 90’s, but now everyone is worked up about it.

Well, how are people going to know when they have to wait on the news media to tell them? Because we live in a mass media culture, everything seems to be all or nothing. You hear nothing, then you hear a big blast that blows everything out of proportion.

But MRSA is growing in resistance. Here is a quote from a doctor Nelson in the story:

“And the MRSA in Lewis County is easier to treat than MRSA somewhere like Texas because there, a lot more of their MRSA is resistant to antibiotics”

There are a lot more diseases that we don’t “know” about that are waiting for someone to find them newsworthy.

But you don’t have to wait.

Discover How to Protect Your Child from 12 Diseases Your Mother Never Told You About.

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According to the Irish Examiner, a bright yellow flower known as inula helenium destroys MRSA bacteria.

The study performed by the Cork Institute of Technology found that two plants were effective against MRSA. The inula helenium and pulsatilla vulgaris were both cited.

Here is the full article.

Let’s hope this is the case. We’re used to hearing about inventions and discoveries with a lot of fanfare, only to find they don’t pan out.

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In a Seattle Times story by Carol Ostrom, we learn that the governor of Washington, Christine Gregoire, wants schools to report cases of MRSA.

The Seattle Times story

Of course, it is the usual response of government, form a committee, put together a panel, etc. While this is just how things operate, we shouldn’t wait for them.

The wisest parents won’t rely on government solutions, but will learn about what they can do right now to build up their child’s immune system, in addition to promoting good hygiene.

Get our free Guide to Protecting Your Child from MRSA.

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Canadian medical researchers have found out why the newer strains of community acquired CA-MRSA are tougher than the hospital acquired variety.

It seems these strains have a way of creating inflammation that pulls in our body’s defense cells and then explodes them.

An article from Canadian TV describes this added element, called PSM:

“CA-MRSA strains secrete a compound called phenol-soluble modulin or PSM. PSM seems to cause inflammation, which attracts immune system cells called neutrophils. The PSM then blows the neutrophils up in a process called lysis, thereby wiping out a main defence against infection and allowing the bacteria to thrive almost unfettered.”

See the full article here:

MRSA Study

This brings up more questions as to why this is happening. It’s not just about washing hands, as we’ve mentioned repeatedly.

All the more reason to stay up to date as new information comes to light.

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In case you missed it, the CBS program 60 Minutes did a feature story on MRSA and its prevention in schools.

While it wasn’t a very in-depth program, it did point out two obvious flaws in the simplistic prevention methods being discussed all over the media.

The doctors interviewed on the program stated plainly that school disinfections and hand washing would not stop the spread of MRSA.

Certainly hand washing is a good practice, and they didn’t dispute that. But the simple fact that infections keep popping up in schools that are being cleaned repeatedly is clear evidence that cleaning isn’t enough.

On the down side, the program resorted to “prescribing” a new vaccine as the only solution.

That isn’t the solution. There is a lot of debate over vaccines, and they aren’t a cure all.

Even if they could develop an effective vaccine with no harmful effects, that wouldn’t do anything for the lesser known diseases that are starting to show up.

The link to the story is here:

60 Minutes on MRSA in Schools

While the comments are a bit messed up, you can find some intelligent responses that recognize the role of immune system health, and address antibiotics and hormones in our food supplies.

There are also some comments from nurses and people who contracted bad cases of MRSA.

There are no magic pills out there to solve this problem, but there are simple steps you can take to protect your children.

MRSA is just one of 12 new and emerging diseases that threaten our children’s health.

You can learn more about them at How to Protect Your Child from 12 Diseases Your Mother Never Told You About

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Another Consequence of Short-Sighted Solutions

In his discussion of hand washing protocols, Dr. Schwimmer brings up an interesting note about a couple of patients who become fearful of becoming social outcasts because they have MRSA.

Because our medical solutions are so often skin deep, it is easy to overlook the ramifications of such shallow thinking.

MRSA can cause heavy damage to people with weakened immune systems. It isn’t some boogey man that just happens to get you.

Until the media and responsible medical authorities can start making that connection, we are going to see more misinformation and hysteria.

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10 Cases of MRSA Reported in Tacoma Schools

10 cases have been reported in the last month. KING TV has a video reporting on the situation.

MRSA in Tacoma, Washington schools

All 10 of the kids are reported to be OK.

The school epidemiologist in the video states that “twice as many people die from the flu each year,” and that “It’s just a little out of hand right now.”

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Government Official Says MRSA a Growing Concern

Medical researchers say methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA killed more than 18,000 people in the United States in 2005, more people than the AIDS virus.

This is in a news report from the Voice of America.

How do we square the 18,000 deaths reported by the US Government with the statement of the Tacoma WA school epidemiologist that “only 2000 people a year die from MRSA?”

The article does bring out that MRSA cases outside of hospitals are accounting for the growing number.

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School Sterilization Useless?

CBS program Sixty Minutes will discuss MRSA and whether extra cleanings are of any assistance in stopping the spread of MRSA.

Preview of CBS 60 Minutes on MRSA in Schools

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