Super Bugs — Super Tough!

by Gordon Anderson
August 2010

Since Andrew Fleming’s discovery of penicillin in 1928, doctors have been using antibiotics to fight bacteria in the human body and elsewhere. But several highly-resistant strains of bacteria — known as "superbugs" — have in recent years begun fighting back, developing strong resistances to many antibiotics and alarming medical professionals in the process.

Perhaps you’ve heard of MRSA — short for Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, or a staph infection which doesn’t respond to most antibiotics. Another bacteria, Clostridium difficile (known as C-diff), has recently been shown to be on the upswing in patients. These are superbugs, and they’re dangerous.

"Vancomycin is the only antibiotic we have left to treat some of these things, and that’s very alarming to everyone in the medical community," said Cindy Sharpe, the infection control supervisor at Central Carolina Hospital in Sanford. "Other antibiotics just don’t do anything to these superbugs, they’re too resistant."

That shouldn’t necessarily translate into cause for alarm amongst the general public, however. These superbugs aren’t necessarily something you’re likely to pick up just anywhere, and making sure your hands are washed before and after being exposed to potential infection sources remains the best way to minimize the risk of exposure to any bacteria, superbugs included. While Sharpe said there are plenty of cases in which superbugs are "community-acquired," cases of MRSA and C-diff can show up during hospital stays. Sharpe said that means the hospital staff has to be vigilant about preventing the spread of superbugs.

"Cross-exposure can be a threat to patients, which is the main reason we’re so proactive here at CCH about practicing good hand washing hygiene, wearing gloves and gowns, and cleaning side rails and bedside tables several times a day," she said. "We’re doing everything we can to prevent putting patients at risk."

The Associated Press reported back in March on a recent Duke University study which found cases of MRSA were actually on the decrease in 28 hospitals throughout the Southeast while cases of C-diff had increased. C-diff, a bacteria found in the colon, causes diarrhea and can lead to colitis, an intestinal affliction characterized by inflammation of the colon and large intestine.

Another factor that makes C-diff more dangerous is its resistance to the alcohol-based hand sanitizers which have become popular for home use in recent years. While those sanitizers work well against many bacteria, they don’t kill C-diff bacteria, meaning that a good hand washing with soap and warm water is the best method for prevention.

In response to the Duke study’s findings, officials there have said hospitals should maintain the infection control methods that are working against MRSA while finding new strategies to deal with C-diff.

Central Carolina Hospital is following suit. A recent directive from the hospital’s CEO asks patients to ask their healthcare providers if they have sanitized their hands before making contact with them. Sharpe said CCH staff is being held accountable to the best hand washing methods and that visitors are also educated on the subject.

"We’re just trying to do everything we can to prevent these bacteria from becoming a bigger issue than they are," she said.

Gordon Anderson is a contributing writing for Central Carolina Hospital.

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