Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Forget the War Against Terror – We are Fighting Germ Warfare

U.S. President George W. Bush articulated the goals of the "war on terrorism" in a September 20, 2001 speech, in which he said it "will not end until every terrorist group of global reach has been found, stopped, and defeated".

Forget the war on terror, we are a nation fighting germ warfare. It’s a similar war that involves finding, stopping, and defeating an enemy invisible to the naked eye. Citizens from sea to shining sea are aptly focused on eradicating each and every germ about to gain entrance into their homes, vehicles, or businesses.

Gaze at store aisles today and one will note a plethora of anti-germ agents. Hand sanitizers, antibacterial wipes, soaps, sprays, and cleaners are but a sampling of the weapons against America’s war against germs. As a child, I never recall my mother frantically searching for an antibacterial wipe to clean the grocery cart before she sat me in the seat. And we never used hand sanitizer before dining out. We happily played in the dirt of our backyard with little regard to the fungi lurking in the sandbox. This germ warfare has certainly taken the fun our of living freely.

In principal, eliminating silent germs perching on each and every surface, sounds like a good plan of attack. However, some research in laboratories has shown that our germ warfare is contributing to the development of superbugs such as MRSA that become resistant to common drugs. However, other researchers believe that antibacterial products do not lead to resistant bugs.

Shocking to most soldiers engaged in germ warfare are recent findings that plain old-fashioned soap and water is as effective for eradicating germs as the antibacterial products. An article from WebMD quoted researcher Allison Aiello, PhD as stating, “Antibacterial soaps do not provide a benefit above and beyond plain soaps for generally healthy people living in the community."

Losing the war on germs are hospitals. The very places where the ill go, expecting to be healed, have turned into literal germ war zone. Superbugs have invaded some of the best hospitals in America. Limited budgets prevent education of staff members and patients about the risks associated with unsanitary practices. Worst yet, hospital staffs become negligent with hand washing and other preventive measures that protect patients against hospital acquired infections.

I personally have been the recipient of more than one hospital acquired infections. On one account, I was admitted to the hospital to receive a treatment to help my body to fight infections. Instead, I returned home and twenty-hour hours later, I was readmitted to the hospital with C difficile. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, C difficile is responsible for at least 5000 deaths each year in the United States. Basic hand hygiene and expert cleaning and decontamination of hospital rooms could have prevented many of these deaths. Basic hand washing has been overlooked with the arrival of alcohol-based hand sanitizers.

Being severely immunocompromised due a lengthy battle with leukemia, I have become acutely aware of the many unlikely places that a terrorist germ might be lurking, waiting to attack my fragile immune system. Some might recall the boy in the plastic bubble film from many years ago. At times, I feel like that young man. I’m constantly on alert for an invasion of terrorist threats poised to wreck havoc in my body. Some might call me a mysophobiac (someone with an unusual concern about contamination or dirt) but so be it. I have learned after too many hospitalizations to count that being proactive with germ warfare benefits me and my quality of life.

Grab the hand sanitizers and soap and go on the offensive. MRSA and VRSA will not be the victors of this war against germs.

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