A SEVENTH-GRADER in Brooklyn last month died from methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA. This "super bug" also was responsible for the deaths of three young children in Chicago between 2000 and 2004, according to a recent report in the New England Journal of Medicine.
In fact, doctors believe MRSA is responsible for the deaths of about 19,000 people a year - that's about 6,500 more deaths than AIDS causes annually.
Most MRSA cases are contracted in hospitals, and new protocols and new testing programs are being put in place to help alleviate this serious situation. But scientists and doctors are concerned this is likely to be just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to antibiotic-resistant germs.
One big concern is the use of antibiotics as a feed additive for chicken, hogs and beef cattle. According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, there is mounting scientific evidence that routine feeding of antibiotics to farm animals that are not sick is helping to create antibiotic-resistant germs that can be transferred to humans. The group says that about 70 percent of antibiotics and related drugs used for humans also are being used in animal feed.
Congress is considering legislation that would phase out over two years the use in animal feed of antibiotics that are important for human medical treatment. The bill would not ban the use of the drugs on sick animals. The measure is supported by the American Medical Association, the Infectious Diseases Society of America, and the American Academy of Pediatrics.
This bill is a good start, but the threat of super bugs also demand better testing for such germs, not only in hospitals but also on farms, as pigs have been found to harbor MRSA. Likewise, it is vital that pharmaceutical companies continue to develop new generations of antibiotics to keep a step ahead of these deadly germs.State Journal-Register
