Drug-Resistant Staph Germ's Toll Is Higher Than Thought - News Article

[seriousmantid]

most of the anti-bacterial hand sanitizers are just an ancohol-based gel. MRSA has been a problem for years as a secondary staph infection in hospitals (usually occuring after a surgery and passed from patient to patient) but it wasn't a community problem until it started manifesting itself outside of hospitals.

and Teh El Macho is teh correct (as usual) overuse of anti-biotics are the casue of the resistance not overuse of anti-bacterials. However, overuse of antibactials can cause the destruction of beneficial bacteria on your hands as well as the harmful bacteria. The alcohol-based gel, if I recall correctly, dries the waxy protectant cell wall of the organism, when in free-floating stage, and makes it succeptable to destruction.

A simple 10% bleach to 90% H2O solution will work to clean the mats. Wash all your gear in hot H2O and use bleach and immediately put into a dryer. Wash you jock strap and/or underwear seperately as feces (ewww) can disperse in the water and soil your other gear. This will help destroy the cell wall as well.

Clean you gym bag, shoes, gloves, etc. with the bleach/H2O solution as well.

I soak my mouthguard in Listerine after usage. It makes it last not as long but seems to keep it clean, as Listernine in a phenol derivitive, and tastes fresh and minty.

Take a hot shower and the mechanicial disinfection (scrubbing with soap) should suffice for body cleansing.

This is the best advice the bleach and water will kill everything that you need to really wory about. They also have wipes that kill everything from HIV to Staph If your just that worried about it. but aardvark s example will work perfectly he described what to do just like he was a health inspector, my hat is off ro you sir.

[Judobum]

There are actually two completely different types of MRSA. MRSA is found primarily in hospitals. People who contract it are typically asymptomatic unless it gets into their bladder or bloodstream (infection). Typically people are MRSA "colonized" in their nares (nostrils) or rectum. Wounds and open areas are also susceptible to colonization. MRSA will slow the healing of a wound but typically does not cause inflammation and does not transer easily to the bloodstream. In my tens years of working in hospital I've only ever seen one case of blood-bourne MRSA and maybe two or three MRSA urinary tract infections. This is in Canada though where we are much more diligent about identifying and isolating this organism.

Community MRSA or C-MRSA is a different strain of staph. It is primarily found in areas of high population density or frequent close contact between individuals. Prisons, shelters and athletic teams are the most frequently affected. C-MRSA is often manifested as boils, bites or open wounds. Many cases of "spider bites" that come to hospital are typically C-MRSA. C-MRSA is more aggressive than it's hospital cousin and causes the damage described by Umpa and Macho when not caught early. On the bright side C-MRSA responds much better to de-colonization treatments and is much easier to clear up than Hospital MRSA. It seldom recurrs once a course of de-colonization therapy is completed while Hospital MRSA is difficult to remove initially and can return even after a patient is considered asymptomatic (three negative swabs).

[meataxe]

Resistant strains of bacteria are the result of overuse of antibiotics. True.

However, my understanding of the of antibacterial soaps and lotions is that they can lead to dangerous infections. Normal skin is teaming with benign bacteria--the normal flora of the body. Antibacterial concoctions will clear the skin of almost all bacteria, good or bad. The "clean slate" is ready for harmful bacteria to move in more easily than they would on skin with a normal flora.

I suspect it would be best to use the antibacterial/antiseptics only when you think you might need them. I'd be interested any professional opinions on this subject.