New Strain of Staph infection

[keltic63]

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...oryId=18086925

Health officials are tracking a new type of infection with Staphylococcus aureus that is resistant to even more antibiotics than MRSA, the drug-resistant staph that has spread from coast to coast over the past seven years. (MRSA stands for "methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus".)
So far, nearly all recognized cases of the multiply drug resistant staph have been among gay and bisexual men. The cases are showing up most often in San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York.

Have any of you heard about this news item? I first learned of this yesterday and have been pondering over it now for the past 24 hours. this may be an opportunity for those who are against us to renew their battle, much like the response to AIDS in the 80's.

I'm also concerned for the health and safety of all our members here at soulforce. Please be careful, be picky about whom you choose to be intimate with, and by all means, be safe. Advice from the medical community seems to be that washing thoroughly with soap and water is a good defense against these MRSA type staph infections.

[andrewlittle]

Interestingly, since I check medical news a lot, this is the first time I have heard about this disease with specific links to gay people. There have been little stories here and there, but none that seem to reflect the seriousness with which this infection should be treated.

Since it passed by skin-to-skin contact, it can be very contagious. One has to wonder why it is has been linked to gay men specifically, when that kind of contact is hardly exclusive to them.

Right or wrong, all kinds of warning bells went off in my head when I read it. Is the link real, or imagined? Does it show assumptions? Since we don't know, the best course of action is, of course, care. The story I read said the greatest number of cases was from the Castro district, which could indicate that was the entry point, and infection of gay men being a logical conclusion based on community demograhics.

It is rife for political and religious manipulation, that's for sure.

[Zerbie]

I've been hearing some about staph aureus, but the MRSA kind, with specific reference to the elderly and those infected in hospitals, but not a "new" kind of staph aureus. Neither have I heard it linked to gay men - I agree with Andy's assessment: linking staph to gay men in particular seems suspect to me, above all b/c it's illogical based on the casual and easy way it transmits.

[BenL]

This is the article I read yesterday. It was posted on GLEE.com. It caught my eye because Boston was mentioned.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...E0L8.DTL&tsp=1

[antonyh]

As anticipated, the Religious Right are having a field day with this. Here is HRC's response:

Originally Posted by HRC

President Joe Solmonese issued the following statement in response to CWA’s lies and distortions:

"We’ve come to expect hysteria and gross distortions from an organization like this and normally their bigoted rants don’t even warrant a response. But the statement today about MRSA is beyond the pale. In typical fashion, they disregard the facts and instead chose to demagogue the issue in order to fear-monger. Serious medical issues deserve serious consideration, not wildly off-the-mark press releases from anti-gay groups trying to capture media attention.

We saw this kind of hysteria in the early 1980’s around HIV/AIDS, I’ll be damned if we will sit idly by in 2008 and let them perpetrate that type of anti-gay hysteria without calling them out on it."

http://www.hrc.org/8624.htm

[ladyinred]

I have to agree with Zerbie and Andy The story seems to be suspicious, my mother had a serious staph infection and the hospital docs said staph is contagious no matter what, even in hospitals people are not immune to staph infections. I also read where staph is everywhere, some immune systems are more prone to get it I guess particular ones that are weakened. My ex has a mother who is a nurse and ,she goes to the doctor for everything, she has more illness than I do and I don't even use anti-bacterial soap. She's had the flu shot, goes to the dermatologist, has diabetes, arthritis among other things. She is now living with her mother who is big on the anti-germ thing, and is meticulously clean and they still get sick alot. I figure we are surrounded by germs...LOL Can't avoid all of them. As far as facts by organizations affilated with the right, I wouldn't trust 'em as far as I'd throw them. They see gay people as diseased anyway.