Deadly staphylococcus
Persistent staphylococcus infections of the skin and pneumonia that cannot be treated with ordinary antibiotics need further exploration since it is highly likely that they are due to a new pathogenic microorganism, community-acquired MRSA. «A study carried out at the Pendeli Children’s Hospital,» said Vatopoulos, «showed that 20 percent of the staphylococci isolated in patients outside the hospital were MRSA, resistant community-acquired staphylococci. If this percentage is valid, it is extremely worrying for a disease that is appearing for the first time. It is a warning bell that we should pay attention to because these infections require a different kind of treatment. The doctor should ask for a culture and antibiogram in order to find the right antibiotic. «Particular care is required in the event of a minor epidemic, in children and young people, in gyms, soccer teams or in military camps where there is crowding and a higher risk of the disease being transmitted. «It is useful to have an early diagnosis so the new strain does not spread and patients can be given the appropriate treatment. It is a disease that we should take great care with, because, apart from simple skin infections that sooner or later will be cured, it could cause complex infections, such as serious fatal pneumonias. Already a young man has been hospitalized in Attica with pneumonia from this specific pathogen, but fortunately it was caught early and he was saved.»
