Estelle Kelty
2/23/15
Earth Science IH/ C Even
Tavernise, Sabrina. "Deadly CRE Germs Linked to Hard-to-Clean Medical Scopes." The New York Times. The New York Times, 19 Feb. 2015. Web. 23 Feb. 2015. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/20/health/drug-resistant-germ-is-spreading-by-hospital-device-federal-officials-say.html?_r=0
Over the past few years patients receiving long term procedures in hospitals or any healthcare facility, have been diagnosed with a relatively new bacteria in the medical world. This bacteria known as CRE, or carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, is a widely increasing bacteria that is deadly due to its resistance to all antibiotics. The cause of this recent bacteria spread is due to the duodenoscope. This medical tool is used in procedures to treat things such as “diseases of the liver, bile ducts and pancreas.” As defined by the FDA,“Duodenoscopes are flexible, lighted tubes that are threaded through the mouth, throat, stomach, and into the top of the small intestine (the duodenum). They contain a hollow channel that allows the injection of contrast dye or the insertion of other instruments to obtain tissue samples for biopsy or treat certain abnormalities.” However, because of the hollow channels, and structure of the scope, it becomes very difficult to properly sterilize after using. Because of this some of this normally healthy stomach bacteria, can grow an enzyme resisting bacteria and be transferred to other patients. Usually harming those with weakened immune systems or previous infections, this bacteria has become known as the “nightmare bacteria,” because of its fatality rate. Recently in California hospitals seven patients have become ill with this bacteria, two of which, have passed away. The FDA has already warned all medical professionals of the issues occurring if these tools are not properly cleaned and hope to begin to create a new way to sterilize these tools.
Anyone can suddenly fall ill and need to take a hospital trip. We usually associate hospital trips with being helpful and curing what we may have contracted. However, due to these recent occurrences we now know maybe hospitals aren’t as clean and helpful as previously thought. Informing ourselves more about these possibilities to pick up this bacteria creates a new perspective for us. This article is very relevant to everyone and directly relates to the lives of the people around us. As humans we are always curious, interested, and always want to be on top of everything. Diseases such as this pose a serious threat to become an epidemic, especially since it is mostly human inflicted, we feel the need to do something. We always want to know what to be careful of and how to take care of ourselves. Articles informing us such as this one are essential to an informative and healthier society.
Although this article was informative, well written and easy to digest, a few adjustments could be made. One change I would have to this article is the lack of pictures in the article. It would have been helpful to include a picture of the Duodenoscope, since the flaws of this tool are highlighted in the article I ended up looking up a picture anyway. Another change would have been a little more background information on the disease at first before entering the story. Lastly, the article ended with no discussion of what the FDA plans to do to help stop the germ from becoming an epidemic. Other than that the article was a great read and was extremely interesting!
One thing I think Estelle did well is using terms and words average people would understand and trying to explain any words that average readers wouldn’t necessarily have knowledge about. Another thing that she did that I liked, is that she used an expert definition of what a Duodenoscope is, because this is an important part of the topic that she wrote about so it is important for us to get a good understanding of what it is. One other thing Estelle did that I think is helpful is that she said the FDA had already began warning hospitals, although the word “warning” isn’t very reassuring, it’s helpful to know that something is starting to be done about this.
ReplyDeleteFrom this current event I learned that the bacteria Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae is deadly, because it is resistant to all antibiotics. Over the past few years it was began spreading, through a tool called a Duodenoscope, used in hospitals, because it is so hard to clean. This is sort of scary to me, because like Estelle said in her current event, we think of the hospital as a clean and helpful place, but this bacteria spreading makes me rethink what I previously thought about it. Another thing I learned is that seven patients in California hospitals have already been infected with this bacteria and two have died.
One thing I think Estelle could have added to make her current event a little bit better would be, how long the bacteria actually takes to kill someone and also maybe the different stages like how long it takes for it to worsen and if notice symptoms right away.