It’s been rare in Texas, but the latest so-called superbug resistant to antibiotics has hit more than 200 hospitals across the U-S in a six month period last year. In this edition of Vital Signs, Dr. Bill Sutker, chief of infectious diseases of Baylor University Medical Center, explains why CRE is part of a larger, growing problem.
To Help Avoid CRE Infections, Patients Should:
- Tell your doctor if you have been hospitalized in another facility or country.
- Take antibiotics only as prescribed.
- Expect all doctors, nurses and other healthcare providers wash their hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub before and after touching your body or tubes going into your body.
- Ask questions. Understand what is being done to you, the risks and benefits.
- Clean your own hands often, especially:
- Before preparing or eating food
- Before touching your eyes, nose, or mouth
- Before and after changing wound dressings or bandages or handling medical devices
- After using the bathroom
- After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
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