Tag: Bacterium

Acne – Possible Link to MRSA

There is growing evidence that the major cause of MRSA is the inappropriate over prescribing of antibiotics by general practitioners. This is not news and it is common knowledge that most infections are viral and do not require antibiotics.

Also it is well known that antibiotics upset gut bacteria and lead to overgrowth of the intestinal tract with fungi such as Candida which is present in everyones guts, but normally kept in check by the probiotic bacteria surrounding it and which also produce chemicals to keep it in check. Antibiotic use can reduce the probiotic bacteria and allow the fungus to grow which over time can lead to inflammation and misdiagnosis of IBS later in life and open another chapter in prescribing.

A downward spiral we dont want to promote. Candida overgrowth and dysbiotic guts probably affect millions of 20 something’s who have just had years of antibiotics for acne, or million of 40 somethings who have been put on antibiotics for rosacea. We have clever ways of restoring the normal bacterial balance and reducing Candida without harsh antifungals.

However the use of antibiotics for skin infections such as acne and rosacea often at low doses and often for 3 to 6 months at a time is possibly a cause of MRSA in some patients (multi resistant Staphylococcus aureus) in hospitals.

It doesn’t matter whether oral or cream antibiotics are used they cause the same problem. In acne if you have many blocked pores (pilo sebaceous ducts) then the anaerobic bacteria propiobacterium acnes can start to colonise the area under the plug and cause inflammation and damage. This bacterium only survives in normal skin at very low levels as it likes to live in an environment where there is little or no oxygen. When you create a blockage as with acne, you create the environment for acnes. So antibiotics can help to reduce it, but they also hit other friendly skin bacteria and herein lies the problem.

Staphylococcus epidermidis lives on our skin and helps keep other nasty bacteria away. It likes an oxygen rich environment. The same antibiotics that reduce acnes often hit the staphylococcus epidermidis as well.

Now Staphylococcus epidermidis is related to Staphylococcus aureus. It lives inside the body and staphylococcus epidermidis lives on the skin. They meet at places such as the nose and other entrances into the body. They can pass information to each other through the use of things called plasmids and it is highly likely information for developing resistance is transferred.

Hey presto we have started the super bug development. The acne sufferer ends up in hospital for an operation. They get a wound infection either from their own bacteria but also through other bugs already there. S.aureus is a typical bacterium that infects wounds. The antibiotics used for wound infections are often the same or similar to the one that has been used for the patients acne, and it is not surprising they find the antibiotics dont work as the bugs are already resistant. This resistant strain becomes the dominant resident s.aureus in the hospital and is extremely difficult to remove and can go on to infect many other patients.

Using a product such as Aknicare which has 4 antibacterial agents which control p.acnes by changing conditions in the area under the plug rather than directly destroying it means you can prevent damage and inflammation without breeding resistant bugs. Aknicare can reduce p.acnes and all the other key causes of an acneic skin, such as inflammation, oil production, cell turnover all without breeding resistant bugs.

As a final thought the main treatment for rosacea recommended is rosex creams and gels. Rosex contains the antibiotic metronidazole. Rosacea patients often use it for months and years.

It works in a few. Metronidazole is also a powerful antioxidant and it is these properties that help with rosacea symptoms, not the antibiotic properties. Rosacea is not caused by bacteria. It is a sobering thought that the antibiotic most used in theatre to prevent infections during and shortly after surgery is metronidazole. Imagine if you had been using it for months or years before that operation.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Overview

With no known definite cause, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is a popular name for a disorder or group of disorders with varying debilitating effects on the individual which persist for at least 6 months. According to some sources, the syndrome results from an infection. As of yet though, the syndrome is not yet fully understood although it is quite a common disorder.

Onset
The onset of CFS is usually characterized by sudden occurrence of symptoms which are somewhat similar to the symptoms accompanying flu. It is believed to begin with an infection caused by non-viral and viral pathogens which trigger subsequent symptoms. In a smaller fraction of patients, the onset begins after exposure to prolonged extreme levels of stress. Thus, it is believed that CFS can begin either from high levels of stress or infection. Current studies are focused on investigating on these causation models.

Causes
Although there are no definite causes to chronic fatigue syndrome, there are however, known conditions that are closely related to the development of the syndrome. They are as follows:

1. Chlamydia pneumoniae, a bacterium which causes pneumonia and related illness.

2. EBV or Epstein-Barr virus which causes mononucleosis or the kissing disease, a very common respiratory disease that has symptoms resembling flu.

3. Onset of serious case of bronchitis and diarrhea.

4. Continuous subjection to stress, both physical and mental.

Symptoms
There are two criteria in determining the presence of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. They are as follows:

1. Unexplainable chronic fatigue is experienced for more than 6 months and all other diseases and disorders that can lead to long term experience of fatigue have been ruled out by your health care provider. This fatigue does not root from physical exertion and cannot be relieved by rest.

2. The presence of four of the following symptoms: a) decreased cognitive function or chronic impairment of short-term memory, b) fatigue that is not relieved through rest, c) muscle pains or myalgia, d) severe headaches, e) prolonged sickness and exhaustion, f) recurring and frequent sore throat, g) joint pains without redness or inflammation, and f) abnormal lymph nodes with notable tenderness.

Treatment Options
There are several ways of managing the disorder but there is no one universal treatment option that is recommended for all patients. For some patients, dietary changes, changes in lifestyle, use of pain killers, physiotherapy, medications and Complementary and Alternative Medicine work. The most common unconventional treatment modalities are CBT or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Graded Exercise Therapy.

Prognosis
The average recovery rate of untreated patients is pegged at 5%. On the other hand, those patients who have received a number of treatments are 40% more likely to benefit from full recovery.

Occurrence
Due to the absence of concrete and definite parameters for identifying people with CFS, it is quite hard to determine the exact number of people who are affected by this disorder. Estimates range from 75-420 people in every 100,000 people have this disorder. Women are more susceptible to developing this disorder by 20% although there are strong indications that this disparity is due to unreported cases among men.

The syndrome occurs across all ages but is more common among people aged 40 to 59 years old. It is found across genders and ethnic backgrounds. It is also seen to run in the family.