GLIN==> Michigan public health story

Disturbing news of 2007 cases in Michigan of relatively unique instances
of a specific, rare antibiotic resistant infection.    The specific antibiotic
is vancomycin, which is the best last-ditch treatment for methicillin-resistant
(MRSA) infections which are a big public health problem presently.

MRSA is also an emerging concern in animal agriculture practices, because of
concerns about the potential for animal health,
animal-human transmission and poorly controlled potentials for the
possibility of animal agriculture facility atmospheric 
particle/aerosol emissions and waste effluents
causing spread of infectious agents.

Material from the CDC journal is below....

==============

 From the current issue of the
Center for Disease Control (CDC) Emerging Infectious Disease Journal

Vancomycin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Michigan, USA, 2007, J.
Finks et al.
http://www.cdc.gov/eid/content/15/6/943.htm

Abstract
Vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA) infections, which 
are always methicillin-resistant, are a rare but serious public 
health concern. We examined 2 cases in Michigan in 2007. Both 
patients had underlying illnesses. Isolates were vanA-positive. VRSA 
was neither transmitted to or from another known VRSA patient nor 
transmitted from patients to identified contacts.

Vancomycin continues to be used as a first-line antimicrobial agent 
for the treatment of infection with methicillin-resistant 
Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Because alternative treatments are 
limited, development of resistance to vancomycin can make treatment 
of MRSA infections increasingly difficult. Fortunately, only 7 cases 
of vancomycin-resistant S. aureus (VRSA) infection, which is always 
methicillin-resistant, have been reported in the United States 
(Table) (<http://www.cdc.gov/eid/content/15/6/943.htm#1>1); 5 of 
these cases occurred in Michigan. We report 2 additional cases of 
VRSA that occurred in Michigan in 2007. The Michigan Department of 
Community Health (MDCH) examined the patients' records, compared 
genetic characteristics of isolates, assessed possible transmission 
to contacts, and assessed infection control practices at facilities 
providing patient care.

[SNIP]

Main journal table of contents page

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/index.htm



==========================================
Alex J. Sagady & Associates        http://www.sagady.com
Twittering at:   http://www.twitter.com/enviroenforcer

Environmental Enforcement, Permit/Technical Review, Public Policy,
Expert Witness Review and Litigation Investigation on Air, Water and
Waste/Community Environmental and Resource Protection
Prospectus at:  http://www.sagady.com/sagady.pdf

657 Spartan Avenue,  East Lansing, MI  48823
(517) 332-6971; ajs at sagady.com
==========================================


-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://www.great-lakes.net/lists/glin-announce/attachments/20090521/a66fca30/attachment.html