superbugs on the hiking trails?

[jefals]

These drug resistant bacteria have been in the news a bit lately. If I'm interpreting correctly, you're most likely to find them in hospitals .
I wonder if anyone out there can speak to whether these critters are getting out into the environment, and if there's a growing likelihood of us encountering them out on the hiking trails.
And, for any doctors , researchers or pharmacologists out there, is there any progress being made in fighting these guys?

[Pedaling Fool]

I love watching evolution in the works

[rafe]

The best way to fight them (though for this strain, it may be too late) is to limit the day-to-day use of antibiotics in livestock feed. Plus over-prescription of, and misuse of, antibiotics in humans.

CDC just announced this latest strain a few days ago. It's a particular gene they're worried about. If it finds its way to other types of E. Coli, it could be very bad news. And the feeling is, it's only a matter of time before that happens.

Epidemiologists have been warning about this eventuality for years now.

[Hangfire]

There's some pretty serious strains of staph that run around the commercial fishing boats in southern California, also pretty prevalent in the endurance sailing community as well. The serious MRSA infections are a dime a dozen around the fishing docks, not sure if the correlation between a constant damp environment or possibly even fish slime have anything to do with it, but it's kind of a scary thing. On my thru I never encountered anyone with an infection beyond a minor blister infection or something like that though it's a good excuse to wipe yourself down every night and try to keep as clean as possible.

[Odd Man Out]

On the other hand, being dirty help keep your immune system healthy. Based on this, I think hiking may be your best medicine. If anything, I would think hiking would lower your infection risk.