PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Oregon health officials say they've taken steps to combat new strains of bacteria resistant to antibiotics, what the federal Centers for Disease Control calls "nightmare bacteria."
The federal agency said this week that hospitals and health care leaders nationwide haven't done enough to curb the bugs, which are primarily found in health care facilities and can be lethal.
The bacteria grow in human digestive systems and are resistant to the best antibiotics. Thirty-seven cases have been confirmed in Oregon.
The Oregonian reports (http://bit.ly/VN3uG6 ) that the state is one of only six to require health care facilities to report cases.
And the state last year won a $300,000 grant for what's called a "rapid response" program to contain cases and isolate patients to prevent the spread of the bacteria.
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Information from: The Oregonian, http://www.oregonlive.com
