GBMC says super bug can be contained

It’s a concern that’s been detected in 42 states, and researchers say antibiotics have no effect .

Researchers with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) report that CREs kill up to half of the people they infect. They have also proven successful in blocking the success of antibiotics in other germs.

But, there have been successes in controlling what the media is now describing as the “super bug.”

Stephanie Mayoryk, RN and Infection Control Practitioner at Greater Baltimore Medical Center (GBMC) says is as easy as practicing good hand hygiene, isolating patients fighting infections and using good gowns and gloves.

While control is possible, she also says the super bug isn’t anything to be taken lightly .

“CREs are an increasing problem. We have seen increased resistance patters with this type of bacteria that is different than some of our other bugs that we put on contact precautions,” Mayoryk said. “This bacteria is actually capable of spreading its resistance to other bacteria without the same resistance.”

Mayoryk says the bug is getting stronger.

It’s for that reason the CDC in recent months has been pushing aggressive “Detect and Protect” actions that include what the CDC describes as “Intense infection prevention work and antibiotic prescribing changes. The CDC released a CRE prevention toolkit in 2012 reiterating practical CRE prevention and control steps.