Illinois, One of Three States the CDC Reports New ‘Superbug’ Infections

Sept. 20, 2010 - PRLog -- Last week Fox News reported that new drug resistant ‘superbugs’ have been found in 3 states, including Illinois.  Later in the week USA Today published an article entitled “Drug-resistant ‘superbugs’ hit 20 states, spread worldwide”.  

The USA Today article reported that, “Bacteria that are able to survive every modern antibiotic are cropping up in many U.S. hospitals and are spreading outside the USA, public health officials say. The bugs, reported by hospitals in more than 20 states, typically strike the critically ill and are fatal in 30% to 60% of cases.”  

The deadly bacteria have a gene that produces an enzyme, Klebsiella pneumonia carbapenamase or KPC.  The enzyme allows the bacteria to disable carbapenam antibiotics, which are often considered a ‘last resort’ treatment for infections that do not respond to other antibiotics.

For years Illinois and Chicago area hospital administrators and infection control professionals have been dealing with hospital acquired infections, also known as nosocomial infections.  Many of these infections have been due to Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureas (MRSA), Clostridium difficile and other pathogens.  These new reports of additional ‘superbugs’ by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Illinois hospitals has many healthcare professionals very concerned.

“Many of these infectious agents are spread through contact or airborne transmissions,” reported Ed Chambers, the President of EC2, Inc. (ec2), an Illinois based environmental and infectious disease consulting firm. “Situations that allow the spread of these superbugs typically range from basic hygiene procedures to complex issues involving HVAC systems, room pressurization and a host of other factors working together.  Monitoring indoor air quality (IAQ) in healthcare environments has to be a top priority.”

Healthcare professionals interested in learning more about environmental, IAQ and infectious disease issues can learn more by visiting http://www.4ec2inc.com, or by emailing info@4ec2inc.com or calling (815) 703-9000.

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About EC2, Inc.
EC2 is a leading provider of environmental consulting and inspection services for clients across the United States. Based in the Chicago area, the company provides their services to clients ranging from local companies and institutions to international Fortune 500 corporations.