2008 Woodie Awards
Virus response panel focuses on prevention
Steven Hamari
Issue date: 3/24/08 Section: Popcorn Forum
A fat, hairy, 30-foot-tall belly inflamed and covered with red sores loomed above the response panelists Tuesday afternoon in the Lake Coeur d'Alene Room of the SUB.
The diseased abdomen was one of many fascinating slides used during an MRSA presentation by panelist David Souvenir, M.D., infectious disease specialist.
"MRSA spreads panic better than it spreads itself," said Souvenir.
Although it can be serious, he said it might be avoided by following, "The Six C's from the CDC-Centers for Disease Control."
The six C's are: contact, cleanliness, compromised skin integrity, contaminated objects-surfaces and items, crowded living conditions and capsule exposure-antibiotics.
"People immediately panic when they find out they have MRSA," said Souvenir. "I want to reassure you the bacteria is not going to eat their arm off."
Souvenir said frequent hand washing, not sharing personal items and cleaning your home environment with a 1-10 bleach solution should help prevent an MRSA infection.
Panelist Jeff Lee, RN, staff epidemiologist, talked about Panhandle Health District's involvement in the community.
"The public is our patient," said Lee.
Public health helps maintain health, clean water, safe food, safe environment and proper waste disposal and disease prevention/containment.
Lee said the top 10 diseases for our region last year from most to least common were: chlamydia, hepatitis C, lead poisoning, gonorrhea, campylobacteriosis, hepatitis B, cryptosporidia, giardia, morovirus and HIV. Nationally, the top 10 are STDs he said, and in 2006 Idaho led the nation in West Nile virus with 1,004 reported cases.
"Cover your cough, wash your hands, cook your meat and use condoms," Lee said.
He closed with these words of wisdom.
"If it's wet and not yours, don't touch it."
The diseased abdomen was one of many fascinating slides used during an MRSA presentation by panelist David Souvenir, M.D., infectious disease specialist.
"MRSA spreads panic better than it spreads itself," said Souvenir.
Although it can be serious, he said it might be avoided by following, "The Six C's from the CDC-Centers for Disease Control."
The six C's are: contact, cleanliness, compromised skin integrity, contaminated objects-surfaces and items, crowded living conditions and capsule exposure-antibiotics.
"People immediately panic when they find out they have MRSA," said Souvenir. "I want to reassure you the bacteria is not going to eat their arm off."
Souvenir said frequent hand washing, not sharing personal items and cleaning your home environment with a 1-10 bleach solution should help prevent an MRSA infection.
Panelist Jeff Lee, RN, staff epidemiologist, talked about Panhandle Health District's involvement in the community.
"The public is our patient," said Lee.
Public health helps maintain health, clean water, safe food, safe environment and proper waste disposal and disease prevention/containment.
Lee said the top 10 diseases for our region last year from most to least common were: chlamydia, hepatitis C, lead poisoning, gonorrhea, campylobacteriosis, hepatitis B, cryptosporidia, giardia, morovirus and HIV. Nationally, the top 10 are STDs he said, and in 2006 Idaho led the nation in West Nile virus with 1,004 reported cases.
"Cover your cough, wash your hands, cook your meat and use condoms," Lee said.
He closed with these words of wisdom.
"If it's wet and not yours, don't touch it."
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