Lethal staph strain alarms MDs; Superbug causes quick and deadly pneumonia

[Purveyor]

January 18, 2007
Reuters

WASHINGTON – A nasty staph germ circulating in the community and some hospitals produces a poison that can kill pneumonia patients within 72 hours, researchers said today.

Staphylococcus aureus bacteria – Staph for short – can pass one another the gene for the toxin and are apparently swapping it more often, the researchers report in Friday's issue of the journal Science.

The toxin, called Panton Valentine leukocidin or PVL, can itself cause pneumonia and can kill healthy tissue.

Luckily, people infected with the bacteria quickly develop a high fever and astute doctors can identify it, said Gabriela Bowden of the Texas A&M Health Science Center in Houston, who led the study.

"This is a scary situation. We are trying to put the word out and to educate people about it," Bowden said in a telephone interview.

---snip---

http://www.thestar.com/News/article/172515

[AnneD]

1. A small point...

I know the med center pretty well-I know there is a University of Texas Health Science Center (hubby works there). But does an A&M Health Science Center exist too? If one does that is news to me....any one know of this?????

[KamaAina]

6. The (Canadian) paper has its universities confused

Dr. Bowden is indeed with UT Health Sciences. Crap. For a minute there, I thought that might be a clue this whole thing was bogus.

[Bridget Burke]

11. Even though Dr Bowden doesn't work there, A&M is in the Med Center

The Institute of Biosciences & Technology is part of the Texas A&M University System Health & Science Center. The location was formerly the Shamrock Hilton.

http://ibt.tamhsc.edu/

(Unfortunately, this story is not an Aggie Joke.)

[AnneD]

12. Thanks....

I was wondering what building was at the old Shamrock Hilton-sigh. I remember the wild heydays at the Shamrock, esp St Paddy's Day. Glad to know A&M finally has a presence.

Folks use to laugh when I told them I stripped out of my clothes as soon as I came in. I didn't want my hubby and young daughter exposed to what I dealt with on a daily basis. I have the immune system of a horse. You should see what a bag of my platelets look like.

They have me working in a skilled unit but I had to be fitted for a moon suit for our wonderful MRSA, Pneumonia, etc. patients. I started out Nursing at MD Anderson-adult leukemia. It was a step down from one marrow transplant and MICU. I hated to take care of folks in isolation (they were heavy care and it was hard to get staffed well enough). I would be in the room masked, gowned and gloved for over an hour just to hang meds. It was hot, sweaty, suffocating work.

I am glad my days in Nursing are winding down. I won't miss it at all. I am thinking of getting a count down clock.

[bemildred]

2. Evolution in action. Watch it work. nt

[MGD]

3. Considering the ease with which a bacteriophage can transfer the PVL gene

I wouldn't count out the possibility of bio-terrorism either.

[BeHereNow]

14. Bio-Terrorism perhaps manufactured by the Pharma-Cartel even...

You could not pay me enough money to accept a flu vaccine
from them.

I would be interested to know how many of the victims of this epidemic
received flu shots.

Just saying.

BHN:tinfoilhat:

[AnneD]

9. Some designs...

are more intelligent than others.:spray:

[bemildred]

10. The blind watchmaker tinkers away ... nt

[superconnected]

4. Valentine is it's middle name. How sweet.

I'm reading Camus' the Plauge right now. It's making this news look kinda scary.

[Theres-a]

5. Steven King's "The Stand"

You can watch that next,a bit over the top,but scary indeed.

[superconnected]

13. Yeah, I've seen it and read the book.

Excellent book.

[hippiechick]

15. I've been waiting for it to really happen ...

... the Superflu & mass death due to lack of preparedness/response that is, not the takeover of Vegas by some Satan-morphing-jean-jacket-dude ...

[Barrett808]

7. The Coming Plague:

The Coming Plague: Newly Emerging Diseases in a World Out of Balance (Paperback)
by Laurie Garrett
http://www.amazon.com/Coming-Plague-Emerging-Diseases-Balance/dp/0140250913/sr=1-1/qid=1169171493/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-9899561-6473453?ie=UTF8&s=books

[bemildred]

8. Good book, that. nt

[onecent]

16. I'd like to order that. n/t