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Posts Tagged ‘antibiotics’

The Skinny on “Staph” Infections

Tuesday, April 14th, 2009

What is “Staph”?

Staphylococcus aureus is a gram positive bacterium that is frequently found on people’s skin and in their nose.  About 20% of the population are long term carriers of  S. aureus, typically in their nose.   S. aureus can cause a range of illnesses, including many minor skin infections, such as folliculitis, impetigo, abscesses/ boils, and cellulitis.  It can also be responsible for life-threatening diseases, such as, pneumonia, meningitis, endocarditis, and toxic shock syndrome just to name a few.

How do people get Staph infections?

S. aureus is an incredibly hardy bacterium.  It can survive for several hours on dry environmental surfaces and was shown in a study to survive on a piece of polyester for just less than three months!!  Infections can be spread through contact with pus from an infected wound, skin-to-skin contact with an infected person, and contact with objects such as towels, sheets, clothing, or athletic equipment used by an infected person.

Recently, there have been a myriad of reported cases of resistant S. aureus in the community, commonly referred to as MRSA (methicillin-resistant S. aureus).  Resistance is a term used to describe an organism (in this case a strain of Staph aureus) which is no longer susceptible to a particular antibiotic.  In other words, the antibiotic no longer destroys the organism!!  When the antibiotic doesn’t work, the infection wins!!

The increased prevalence of antibiotic resistance is an outcome of evolution. Any population of organisms, bacteria included, naturally includes variants with unusual traits–in this case, the ability to withstand an antibiotic’s attack.  When a person takes an antibiotic, the drug kills the weaker defenseless bacteria, leaving behind–or “selecting”, in biological terms–those that can resist it.  These renegade bacteria then multiply, increasing their numbers a million-fold per day.  Eventually, these “resistant” organisms become the predominant microorganism.  Although antibiotic therapy does not technically cause the resistance, it allows it to happen by creating a situation where an already existing microbial variant can flourish.

A patient can develop a drug-resistant infection either by contracting a resistant bug to begin with, or by having a resistant microbe emerge in the body once antibiotic treatment begins (as previously described).
Patients that are being treated with antibiotics for bacterial skin infections need to take the medication that is prescribed for the length of time it is prescribed for, unless otherwise directed.  Many patients stop taking antibiotics too soon – they stop taking the medication once their symptoms improve, instead of finishing the course as directed.  This just encourages the resistant bacteria to proliferate.

Your best defense against contracting staph is by improving infection control.  There is no easier way than by washing your hands thoroughly and frequently!  For further information, check out the Center for Disease Control’s website.

 

Successful Acne Treatment without Antibiotics!

Tuesday, April 7th, 2009

It is important for me to offer my patients the latest advances in acne treatments.  Not everyone has success with topicals or oral antibiotics in treating their acne.   For these patients, I am very excited to have Isolaz Photopneumatic Therapy available at the office.  This treatment is FDA approved, painless, has no “down-time” and is proven to reduce acne breakouts.  The procedure starts with a gentle vacuum suction to clean pores of dirt, oil, etc.  Laser is then applied to help destroy acne causing bacteria and reduce oil gland activity.  Patients should notice a marked improvement in their skin after a series of treatments.  Once the series is complete, they should plan on having occasional treatments to maintain their results.  Patients using topicals and/or taking oral medications can also benefit from this treatment.  It can boost their results or clear up their skin more quickly if they have a bad breakout.  While there is no cure for acne, Isolaz is a wonderful option for people who have not found help with other therapies.  Please contact our office for more details.

 

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