Lesser-Known Bug A Bigger Hospital Threat Than MRSA

By MIKE STOBBE
AP Medical Writer
ATLANTA (AP) - As one superbug seems to be fading as a threat in hospitals, another is on the rise, a new study suggests.

A dangerous, drug-resistant staph infection called MRSA is often seen as the biggest germ threat to patients in hospitals and other health care facilities. But infections from Clostridium difficile _ known as C-diff _ are surpassing MRSA infections, the study of 28 hospitals in the Southeast found.

"I think MRSA is almost a household name. Everybody thinks of MRSA as a serious threat," said Dr. Becky Miller, an infectious diseases specialist at Duke University Medical Center. She presented the research Saturday in Atlanta, at a medical conference on infection in health care facilities. "But C. difficile deserves more attention," she added.

MRSA, or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, are bacteria that can't be treated with common antibiotics. They are often harmless as they ride on the skin, but become deadly once they get in the bloodstream. They enter through wounds, intravenous lines and other paths.

C-diff, also resistant to some antibiotics, is found in the colon and can cause diarrhea and a more serious intestinal condition known as colitis. It is spread by spores in feces. The spores are difficult to kill with most conventional household cleaners or alcohol-based hand sanitizers, so some of the disinfection measures against MRSA don't work on C-diff.

A Trip Back In Time

I think I went back in time to the 1980s yesterday. I went to an book signing event for the release of a popular kids novel at a Salt Lake City, UT high school. When I used the bathroom, I was shocked to see the towel dispenser pictured to the left. I didn't know they even made those anymore. Maybe they are old relics that the school is still using, I don't know. It doesn't seem sanitary to me to have to pull on a towel that has been used to get to a fresh section of the towel. How do you know if it has already circled around since it has been washed anyway? They even had powder soap! I thought that went away years ago too. I didn't mind the soap. It was good and exfoliating. My hands felt softer after using it. However, I opted to wipe my hands on my shirt and I used a tissue that was in my coat pocket to turn the water off and open the door.

My Experience At The Grocery Store

I was at the grocery store a couple days ago with my now 16- month-old son. I always wipe the grocery cart and put the seat cover on before putting him in it. My seat cover is pretty big and drapes over the back of the seat. Somehow, as I was looking at an item, he managed to reach back and grab the seatbelt that is attached to the cart. I turned around just in time to see him put it in his mouth. EWWW!! I reached over and knocked it out of his hand which startled him and made him cry a little (sorry, I felt bad). I don't know how he even saw that seatbelt. It is completely covered. Anyway, I gave him the seatbelt that is attached to the seatcover to play with. I guess no matter how careful you are, nothing is fool-proof. I will keep a better watch on him from now on.

New Hand Sanitizer That Moisturizes!!

Great news! As an avid user of hand sanitizers, my hands are always dry. Gold Bond has come out with a great new product! It is a hand sanitizer that not only kills 99.99% of germs, it actually moisturizes your hands. This is definitely a winner in my opinion. Click on the following link for a printable $1.00 off coupon:

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A Visit To The Doctor's Office

I recently took three of my kids to the doctor for coughs and runny noses that were dragging on too long. All three have sinus infections. Our pediatrician and his nurses are all great at what they do. I did notice, however, that the nurse obviously had a cold. I'm sure that happens a lot considering they are exposed to sick children all day long. What I noticed is that she coughed on her hand and then touched the computer and doorknob as she left. I would have felt better if she had either coughed into her arm or sanitized her hand after coughing on it. You can never be too careful. Yes I did take three sick kids there, but there are millions of different strains of viruses. I don't want to pick up a new one while I'm there. Always be careful about what you touch. Sanitize your hands often and, most of all, don't touch your eyes, nose, or mouth.

I FOUND A GERMOPHOBE FRIENDLY VACUUM CLEANER!!

In addition to getting a new washer and dryer, we also very much needed a new vacuum cleaner. We had 2 old pieces of junk. One that didn't work at all and another that didn't work very well. I saw an "infomercial" one night advertising the Oreck Halo vacuum cleaner with a UV-C light that kills germs while you vacuum. It even kills MRSA, which is the germ that I fear the most. I have wanted an Oreck vacuum for several years now and I am thrilled to find a germ-killing one. I ordered my new Oreck last week and it came today. I love it!! My carpets look great. I wish I had this when my 1-year-old was still crawling.

Our Weekend Getaway

My husband and I spent the night at a hotel last night for a little Valentine's Day get away, which we have never done before. We did take our 1-year -old though. He's too young to leave overnight. We used a local get away package that includes dinner at a local restaurant. We decided to upgrade to a jacuzzi suite just for fun. The dinner was great. No worries there.

The hotel room overall seemed pretty clean, however I did notice some areas that needed improvement. I had planned to run bleach through the jetted tub before using it, but it was so small it wasn't worth bothering with. Also, the shower was over the jetted tub, which is gross for a hotel room. My husband filled the tub and ran the jets just out of curiosity and you wouldn't believe the disgusting crap that came out of it. The upgrade wasn't worth it. A public use jetted tub is just too gross.

I also noticed that the faucet handles had a lot of ridges that were filled with soap scum and who knows how many germs. The hotel is older and the faucets have not been changed. I used a towel or tissue to turn the water on and off.

I brought my own hair dryer so I wouldn't have to touch theirs. I never walk on hotel room carpet barefoot. I also always make sure to fold the sheet over the blanket because the blankets don't get washed. The bedspread was put on the floor and not used at all.

The hotel breakfast was decent, but nothing spectacular. They served powdered eggs and the usual continental breakfast items. The milk was sour, which I didn't realize until I took a drink. I noticed they had a big bottle of hand sanitizer next to the food which I was glad to see since I was touching the serving utensils.

Overall, it was a fun weekend. I enjoyed getting away from most of the kids for one night and spending time with my husband.

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