Health Warning – Clostridium difficile
August 24, 2008 – 3:14 pm by Daniel JosephsLate last fall and earlier this year New Jersey had a MRSA scare. Several kids in some of the local school had contracted the MRSA virus. MRSA or Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus is a type of bacteria that is resistant to common antibiotics, such as methicillin, oxacillin, penicillin and amoxicillin. This has caused the virus to take on the title of "Superbug". Around that time we posted a Health Alert and listed several products and procedures that will help reduce the spread of this virus.
I recently had a very close friend who’s 6 month old baby was hospitalized. While she was hospitalized she contracted another "Superbug" called Clostridium difficile or C-diff. C-diff is spread by spores in feces that are difficult to kill with most conventional household cleaners or antibacterial soap and has grown resistant to certain antibiotics that work against other healthy colon bacteria. What is even more scarey is that according to a new study done by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) C-diff has been growing by more than 10,000 cases a year. The study further shows that in 2005, 300,000 hospitalizations where traced to C-diff. That is twice the number reported in 2000 when this “Superbug was rarely seen.
Fortunately the very same chemicals that can prevent the spread of MRSA can help prevent the spread of C-diff. So I urge you to revisit our page on Prevention. If you have any questions or comments please pass them along.
*** Health Alert *** Prevention of MRSA
(http://www.spruceindustries.com/additional/mrsa-warning.jsp)