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Senior Citizen Health & Medicine
Rapidly Emerging New Drug Resistant Infections Spurs
Call for More Healthcare Action
Infection control group say new organisms
resist strongest antibiotics
 Feb. 13, 2008 – The alarm was sounded today on the
rapidly increasing new strains of antibiotic resistant infection that
are endangering Americans, particularly those in healthcare
institutions. Kathy Warye, CEO of the Association for Professionals in
Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC), says “the very nature of
these organisms is changing -- producing infections that are
increasingly resistant to our strongest antibiotics.”
"APIC is concerned with the increased rate of
antibiotic resistant infections -- as high as 70 percent according to
recent reports,” she says. She pointed to new strains of MRSA, such as
the pUSA03-positive strain, that provide evidence of how these organisms
are changing.
Because of the increasing number of multi-drug
resistant organisms (MDROs), she says APIC promotes a culture of “zero
tolerance” toward non-compliance with measures proven to prevent
healthcare-associated infections (HAIs).
The association, she announced, is calling upon all
healthcare institutions to increase efforts to prevent these infections.
She also said:
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“Every day, fifty Americans die from MRSA because hospitals
aren’t doing enough to protect patients from these deadly
infections,” - Lisa McGiffert, Director of Consumers Union’s
Stop Hospital Infections campaign |
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“Research demonstrates that many HAIs can be
prevented through adopting a range of elimination strategies including
proper hand hygiene, barrier precautions such as use of gloves and
gowns, and equipment cleaning and decontamination.
“APIC also urges consumers and health professionals
to exercise the prudent use of antibiotics. With a dwindling arsenal of
effective drugs and few new compounds on the horizon, healthcare
facilities and consumers must stop the misuse and overuse of antibiotics
to curb the growth of virulent multi-drug resistant organisms
nationwide.
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Senior Citizens Must Join Campaign to Require
Hospitals Report Staph Infections
Consumers Union urges Congress to enact HR 1174
(Murphy) to spur hospitals to reduce deadly infections
By Tucker Sutherland, Editor
& Publisher
Nov. 8, 2007 – The news that nearly 19,000
Americans died in 2005 from antibiotic-resistant staph infections –
mostly acquired in health care facilities – and that it has increased 10
fold since 1995, should be shocking and extremely alarming to senior
citizens, the most frequent visitors to healthcare settings. What is
even more shocking is that most states allow hospitals to keep
information about these infections secret, which has allowed the
infection to spread rapidly with little public notice or protection.
Seniors need to demand changes.
Read more...
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“Reducing the rate of HAIs will require adequately
resourced infection prevention departments within healthcare facilities.
To ensure the safety of patients, APIC stands ready to partner with
healthcare professionals, policy makers and consumer groups to provide
support and education in this important endeavor."
Editor’s Notes:
APIC's mission is to improve health and patient
safety by reducing risks of infection and other adverse outcomes. The
Association's more than 11,000 members have primary responsibility for
infection prevention, control and hospital epidemiology in healthcare
settings around the globe. APIC advances its mission through education,
research, collaboration, practice guidance, public policy, and
credentialing. Visit APIC online at
www.apic.org
Source: Association for Professionals in Infection
Control and Epidemiology (APIC)
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