I wonder too, if I'm cured. Or is my 5months without just a temporary thing, waiting for a opening like if I get the flu or something. I wonder if there is any info on it's lifecycle in people?

That is what I have been wondering lately, like if it hides as a virus how long can it hold it for? If it is protecting itself in a colony how long would it take to break through? I take a lot of garlic now days...

Ross, how in the hell are you? Been awhile. According to this book, as I am 70% through it, there are over 10,000 strains of staph, of whic, hundreds of MRSA substrains exist currently, and are migrating, regeneratign, mutatign in to stronger, more drug resistant killers. Some people on average, withthe CA-MRSA type fall under one of seven main groupongs of MRRSA: USA 200-USA 800. The most common of these is what I had or had had, USA 300. The USA 300 strain is becoming more agressive i nthe past decade, to the point where the HA-MRSA and CA-MRSA attrbutes are nearly indistinquishable. However, CA-MRSA CAN BE FOUGHT WITH A WIDER, YET NARROWIGN MARGIAN OF BROAD SPRECTUM CLASS ANTIBOTICS, UNLIKE HA-MRSA.

To get to the point, sorry for beign an egg head and long winded talking head. Some strains of MRSA can indeed be cured, and they are,there is empirical and ancedotal evidence. While other cases/strains are simply incurable to fatal. My question is not whether I am cured, but if the MRSA somehow colonizes and hides on my skin, in my nasal passges, groin, anus, etc...and awaits a laceration to invade, etc... Mild paranoia abounds ever since these litlle bastards invaded my groin in 2008. No signs of MRSA outbreaks on or in me, since Dec of 2008, however, candida still plaques me to a reduced degree tothis day, fro all of the antibotics that I took to kill the MRSA(or keep it at bay). Five months is a good sign, but again, even with today's current research in to MRSA's mysteries, much of the bacteria remains just that, a mystery (for now). I am learnig so much with this book, as the Flu pandemics contain Staph within them, drug resistant staph, such as was the case wit hthe N1H1 swine flu pandemuic last year!!!!! Those that perished fromthat illness had necrotising phenmonia!!!! causeb by...drum roll please....M R S A. MRSA is much more wide spread and deadlier than ever before, we are all fortunate, even though we have and current do suffer with MRSA, to be even alive!!! Some of the MRSA cases decribed i nthe book are truly dissheartning, horrofic...Have you ever watched on cable TV, Monster Inside Me? They need an episode dedicated to MRSA. The CDC need to change the status of this disease from non reportable to reportable, o gather comprehensive data, to research and retain fiscal support and time to find adamn cure, or at least stronger and more effetive antibotics. Garlic is aterrific and natural bacteria fighter, but in some instances with strongr and more aggressive MRSA strains, it is ineffective. Stay well as can be people.

Never have seen Monster Inside Me. You know, one of the things I'm watching is a wound scare, over the carotid artery on my neck. I've have had two over this artery. The scar is kind of thick, firm. At least twice in the past I have had old, healed over wounds re-erupt. I'm just waiting to see if this one does it in the future. As for my health, I'm way too fat, and the COPD, and sleep apnea is bugging the heck out of me, but I'm trying to get back to walking twice a day, and I have lost 11 lbs since June, but man I need to lose a ton more. I have changed my diet to include mass veggies most everyday, just need cut down of the several beers a night and the over snacking.

It's good to have a review of this new book. Maryn McKenna has had a well-known blog going while she was researching this book, but I haven't seen a copy, and there are not that many reviews at Amazon yet.

This sounds like it would be a good adjunct to some of the other titles that have come out in the last few years. I got a lot out of "Good Germs, Bad Germs" by Sachs, but it was not focused only on staph. I especially appreciated learning the details about the transference of resistance between bacteria strains in vitro, and the absolute necessity for probiotics...

About the pneumonia connection: H1N1 arrived at my son's high school last year right after we had confirmation of his status as MRSA positive, before we had any kind of a handle on his infection. Remember the vaccine shortage? It didn't take me long to get concerned that he was in a high risk category regarding H1N1 - there were MRSA+ teens in the news all over the place. I even called the CDC about it - and they agreed - but I had to really fight to get him a shot. The only people who didn't question my concern, interestingly, were the nurses, the "boots on the ground" in all of this.

Frose you are fighting the good fight, to be a proponent in educating the public about MRSA. Ross, I thoght you were dry? My two cents, cut out all booze, reduces your sugars , eat only organic....it will not cure you per say, but it will reduce lengths of skin infections, hopefully!!!

Thank you for the information on this book, I may read it myself. The doctor showed me a list yesterday of all of the medicines that my daughter's strain of MRSA would respond to (he said it is not a very strong strain of CA-MRSA). I don't recall seeing any numbers on there like US300, etc, how would I be able to find out which strain my daughter has? Would it be on her chart at the pediatrician? Thanks so much. :)

Katy1977

How is it going now? I have been keeping mine at bay with Garlic, but am not cured. It seems it is always waiting in the wings for me to slip up. I have not had refined sugar in over a year. I have not had to get a persription antibiotic in over a year also. gglaw3, has yours come back at all?

I was just wondering about the life cycle of all of this. We're (FINALLY) seeing the ID doc on Wednesday. I've heard some say that after 6 months the likelihood goes down. However it makes me wonder. My daughter had it Jan and March of last year. Then in August, I had my first episode. So there was a 5 month lapse time. Of course, I don't know if I got it from my daughter or if they were unrelated.

Hey Ross & GG... Glad to see you have been infection free for a while now! Been out of touch to due new baby.
For best anti-candida diet & info, see www.healingnaturallybybee.com. Ross, try homeopathic single remedies for your COPD (the little blue tubes from Boiron at your health food store). My son has a tendancy for croupe and we've had 100% success using homeopathics for it. For local, grass-fed meats and other local organics, see the search area at www.eatwild.com. I work very hard to maintain my family's immune systems. A full time job but worth it. My babies are doing wonderfully. I still struggle but hope that will ease up when I'm done lactating ( a real immune drainer ). Each time I get a cut lately, it tries to get infected... silver, tea tre oil or garlic topically all do the trick. More annoying than anything but I remain vigilent and every wary of MRSA. Unfortunatley, I think it's "life-cycle" is anytime it has an opportunity. Hope this doesn't scare any newbies. MRSA is not a death sentance, just very tough sometimes.

it is good to come on here and see the number of people who have battled through this until now my only experiences have been bad as my poor dad lost his fight i wish everyone here the best of luck and thanku for helpin me to realise there is hope as a friend of mine also has mrsa and i now believe he can get better

I just finished reading this book too. Amazing. It was a bit technical in places and my eyes glazed over, but I learned A LOT too. I found it at my local library. Thanks for sharing about it.

If it's any consolation to anyone I contracted MRSA during hernia surgery last August... had four outbreaks back to back. I have not had an outbreak in two months now. I do feel very weak most of the time because it is in my blood. I eat honey all the time... I can't say this is what's helping for sure but I have'nt had another outbreak... now I am battling depression but am taking cymbalta and nuerontin for that. I am going to start the garlic thing since I have heard many good reports on it! The antibiotics only made me more sick and were klling my good bacteria along with the bad. I am not telling anyone what to do I just know what has worked for me. Good luck and God bless all of you! Randy

I haven't been on here for a while. My daughter had been free of MRSA infections for a while. But what I have learned is that AZ soon as I see any cuts, scrapes, I clean them and apply Neosporin. If that doesn't work I'm at the doctors office within 24 hours. Today however, she had a couple of mosquito bites and right away its striated swelling up. I applied neosporin but then I remembered when she had one on her cheek that was beginning to flare up, she 'd went swimming in the hotel pool and the MRSA disappeared, didn't even leave a scar. So I went ahead and sat here in a bath.
with a bit of bleach in the water. I then applied a bit of Neosporin again. So far so good I will keep you posted. Unfortunately I don't think we ever really get rid of it, it just sits and waits. My biggest hear is thhat she gets an infection were I can't see it.