New MRSA Superbug More Prevalent Among Sexually Active Gay Men
Emergence of Multidrug-Resistant, Community-Associated, Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Clone USA300 in Men Who Have Sex with Men -- Diep et al., -- Annals of Internal Medicine
Now contrary to popular belief, I wouldn't normally have posted this article. But the highlit part grossed me out. If I were a believer in conspiracy theories, I'd wonder if this wasn't a "designer disease".

A study carried out in San Francisco and Boston, USA, found that sexually active gay men were many times more likely to acquire a new highly antibiotic-resistant strain of the MRSA superbug than the rest of the population.

The study is published in the January 15th early online issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine and was led by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).

Scientists have noticed that infection with the multidrug-resistant, community associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) appears to occur in isolated pockets.

The new strain, called USA300, which is resistant to many more front line antibiotics, is a close relative of the MRSA strain that has begun to spread outside of hospitals and into the community in recent years (CA-MRSA, or community associated MRSA, but technically also known as USA300).

Both strains spread easily through skin to skin contact, and get into the skin and the underlying tissue, causing abscesses and ulcers that can become life-threatening quite quickly.

The UCSF researchers decided to investigate the risk factors for infection with the new USA300, which has gained a foothold in San Francisco and other US cities.

The study was in two parts: a population-based survey of 9 San Francisco hospitals and a cross-sectional study in 2 outpatient clinics in San Francisco and Boston. The data reviewed related to culture proven cases of MRSA infections spanning 2004 to 2006.

The researchers looked for: risk factors, annual incidence and spatial clustering for infection by multidrug-resistant USA300.

The strain of MRSA in the samples were identified using a range of methods such as: DNA sequencing (establishing the pattern of nucleotides in the DNA), polymerase chain reaction assays (amplifying DNA to help identify it), and pulse field gel electrophoresis (looking at very large DNA molecules).

The results for San Francisco showed that:

* The overall incidence of USA300 infection in San Francisco was 26 cases per 100,000 of the population (ranging from 16 to 36).

* The incidence was higher in 8 adjacent neighbourhoods (identified by ZIP codes) that had a higher proportion of male same-sex couples.

* Men who have sex with men were 13 times more likely to be infected with USA300.

* This risk was independent of previous history of MRSA infection or use of clindamycin (an antibiotic used to treat MRSA).

* The risk also appeared to be independent of HIV infection.

* USA300 infection mostly occurred in the buttocks, genitals, or perineum (the area between the anus and the penis).

The results for Boston showed that multi-drug resistant USA300 strains were recovered only from men who have sex with men.

The study concluded that:

"Infection with multidrug-resistant USA300 MRSA is common among men who have sex with men, and multidrug-resistant MRSA infection might be sexually transmitted in this population."

In a separate press statement, the researchers expressed their concern that the new MRSA strain could soon spread to the general population. It can be spread through skin to skin contact but appears to be trasmitted more easily through intimate sexual contact, they said.

Lead author of the study, Dr Binh Diep, who is a UCSF postdoctoral scientist at San Francisco General Hospital Medical Center, said:

"These multi-drug resistant infections often affect gay men at body sites in which skin-to-skin contact occurs during sexual activities."

"But because the bacteria can be spread by more casual contact, we are also very concerned about a potential spread of this strain into the general population," he added.

He explained that the most effective way to protect oneself against infection, especially after sex, was to scrub the skin well with soap and water.

Diep said he was alarmed by the rapid rise in infections. In the figures they collected, they found that San Francisco's Castro district, which has the highest proportion of gays in the country, the infection rate of MRSA was around 1 in 588 people. This compares with about 1 in 3,800 for the overall population of San Francisco, which is also high, said Diep.

Co-author Dr Henry Chambers, who is UCSF professor of medicine at San Francisco General Hospital Medical Center and lead scientist of a large multi-centered clinical trial recently funded by the National Institute of Health to study treatment of community-associated MRSA infections, said:

"Prompt diagnosis and the right treatment are crucial to prevent life-threatening infections and the spread of this bacteria to close contacts."

The authors pointed out that their study was limited by the fact it was retrospective, and they had not looked at the link between sexual risk behaviours and infection. They recommended that:

"Further research is needed to determine whether existing efforts to control epidemics of other sexually transmitted infections can control spread of community-associated multidrug-resistant MRSA."

__________________
Even if you hold the minority opinion, stick to your guns and go against the flow if that's what you truly believe. (CnRedd)

Strong antibiotic resistant bacterias are going to become more and more common. Especially when people are running around with antibacterial hand sanitizers and all the anti-bacterial soaps everywhere. Our fear of germs is doing us more harm than good. These type of drug resistant staph infections have been running wild in hospitals for a long time now. It was inevitable that they'd eventually start showing up outside hospitals. Though it's being touted as the new gay disease it won't remain a problem for gays alone very long. Throw out all your antibacterial soaps and cleaners. They're no good for us.

And considering that homosexuals are generally more obsessed with hygiene than most it would make sense that this virus attack this group first. Using those alcohol based cleansers and such.

__________________

The study you cited was flawed from the start. It specifically targeted homosexual populations and took its samples there as opposed to a random sampling from the total population. If you take 500 samples from group A and only 100 samples from group B, it is not a valid comparison of incident rate.

Also, from other studies, it looks like a similarly high rate of infection occurs in hospital patients and in sports teams.

Source showing increases in hospitals and sports teams.

Source stating infections have increased across population demographics for the past decade.

Source showing a marked increase in both hospital acquired and community acquired cases across all demographics.

Source showing hospital wards to be the breeding ground for the infection.

Basically what we have here is a staff infection that is souped up because of our over-dependence on antibiotics. It has really nothing to do with homo vs hetero lifestyles and the whole study from UCSF is misleading. It portrays the infection as belonging to a demographic despite all evidence to the contrary.

Wash your hands, folks. That's the best prevention; doctors have been telling you that for years. Maybe it's time to listen?

Nah I don't think it's that. hee hee. These bacterias are the kinds that need to sort of "get in" to really cause you harm. So they get in through small tears, open cuts, ect. They don't need "big wounds" to enter your system and can take advantage of tiny tears in the skin or even scratches. Anal sex is more prone to causing "small tears" in the skin so it would make sense that anal sex would be an activity that would increase the likelihood of bacteria on the skin becoming dangerous. But really it's just incredibly stupid to view it as a "gay disease" because anyone with a wound, scratch, ect presents an opportunistic environment for these strong resistent bacterias.

My brother almost lost his hand last year. He got cut out on a boat by a fish and went to the hospital. Now he had a large wound but they just stitched him up and sent him home on antibiotics. Well it got worse and worse and they kept switching his antibiotics. Eventually they had to hospitalize him and run tons of tests to figure out what was going on. They tested him for HIV and everything under the sun. They couldn't find the right drug to kill what he had. It ended up being some type of resistant staph that they think he probably picked up while in the hospital with his wound. Anyway it was really scary. His fingers were turning black. They thought he might lose his hand or at least a couple of fingers before they finally were able to get it under control with some old antibiotic that is rarely used anymore.

This can happen to anyone. Children are probably most at risk as they are the least likely to keep wounds and scratches clean.

But oddly enough, don't use antibacterial soap. The funny thing is all this talk of dangerous bacteria makes people WANT to use the antibacterial soaps but regular use of those makes the bacteria stronger by constant exposure.

I've found over my life that the best thing to keep yourself clean is hot water. I rarely ever actually use soap or shampoo. Maybe once a week for my morning showers and after the gym three-four times a week.

I wash my hair with hot water and I scrub my skin with hot water and a loofah bar. I apply a bit of cedar oil or fir oil to my hair in the summer time to keep mosquitoes away but beyond that, I just try not to put too many chemicals on my skin and hair. I smell great, or so I have been told, because my body isn't overproducing oils to make up for what the chemicals strip off.

I have friends that keep super clean houses. Ridiculously clean. Houses where you could lick the kitchen floor. My house is "tidy" but by no means super clean. When I see dirt in a corner, dog hair under the couch, ect I tell myself my lack of super cleaning skills is good for the kids. Keeps their immunity up.

It's true though. Joshua keeps the house super clean and he is a Febreeze addict. I, personally, can't stand the crap because I happen to enjoy the smells of rain, cut grass, wood burning, and whatever is cooking. Those are the smells that make a house a home. He is aggressive in his love for mediocrity with the household scents...everything has to smell like fresh lenin or some tropical fruit that doesn't even grow around here. I don't get it.

fxashun

No conspiracy theory needed.
If I want to give a person a medication-or a disease, the quickest way to do that after intravenous would be through a rectal suppository. The chemical (or virus) will be immediately dispersed throughout the blood stream via a huge blood vessel that is right on the other side of the thin permeable annal wall.

__________________


________________________________________
Salty

THANKSGIVING MENUS AND TIPS

A GREAT PLACE TO SHOP