Fight off the hospital bug The virulent, antibiotic-resistant
bug known as Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is much more common in
hospitals than previously thought, says a recent report from the
Association for Professionals in Infection Control and
Epidemiology. Infection specialists chose one day in October or
November 2006 to identify all the patients in 1,237 U.S.
hospitals who either carried or had active MRSA infections. This
bacterium no longer responds to many common antibiotics and can
cause potentially deadly infections in the bloodstream, lungs or
urinary tract. The researchers found that 46 of every 1,000
patients had MRSA. That rate is 8 to 11 times greater than was
reported in previous research, says a story in the September
issue of Consumer Reports on Health. More important, it was
found not just in intensive-care units but also throughout most
hospital areas. The germ can be spread by health workers who
don't discard contaminated gloves or adequately wash their
hands. It also can be spread throu