There's A "Superbug" Spreading Around America Killing 40% Of The People Who Come In Contact

Business Insider ^ | March 24, 2011 | Joe Weisenthal

[Dr. Sheldon Cooper]

The joke that's going around is that the Mayans got it wrong: The world is ending this year, not 2012.

Here's the lates sign of that.

A superbug is spreading around America, and has hit Southern California.

LA Times:

A dangerous drug-resistant bacterium has spread to patients in Southern California, according to a study by Los Angeles County public health officials.

More than 350 cases of the Carbapenem-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae, or CRKP, have been reported at healthcare facilities in Los Angeles County, mostly among elderly patients at skilled-nursing and long-term care facilities, according to a study by Dr. Dawn Terashita, an epidemiologist with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

It was not clear from the study how many of the infections proved fatal, but other studies in the U.S. and Israel have shown that about 40% of patients with the infection die. Tereshita was not available for comment Thursday morning but was scheduled to speak about the study in the afternoon.

[Ladysmith]

Interesting. Some in my family who rarely get sick really got nailed something like this. I didn't get it which is very surprising since I'm usually so susceptible to stuff like this. Can only attribute it to two things - avoiding my family and most everyone else like the plague while this was going around, and having to take Calcitriol daily. Calcitriol is active vitamin D. My body can't convert any vitamin D I take in into its useful form so this prescription is a must. Must be doing my immune system good, too.

[Gaffer]

I wonder, just wonder....hmmmm....what would this map look like overlaid with a map, say, of the states most infested by illegal Hispanics.

[Dr. Sheldon Cooper]

I wonder, just wonder....hmmmm....what would this map look like overlaid with a map, say, of the states most infested by illegal Hispanics.

Here's a map describing the overlay. I think AZTLAN is Spanish for "Quarantine and Sterilize".

[Gaffer]

All I got was a little box with a litte red X in it.

[Dr. Sheldon Cooper]

Hmm. Looks ok here. Here's another, smaller version:

[Gaffer]

I see it.... a less complete version of the posted illustration. I’m guessing the year completed between the two are different and the earlier one is more up to date.

[Sioux-san]

Thanks for saying what I am thinking - most people who go to a nursing home for long-term care die in the nursing home. The filthiness of health care workers’ hands, particularly doctors, is the main cause of the spread of disease in health care facilities. Experiments have been run in day care centers and schools where special attention is paid to cleanliness of hands, and ditching the fluorescent lighting for full spectrum “healthy” light bulbs, and VOILA, disease and pestilence decreased. Wow!