Study Finds Drug-Resistant 'Superbugs' on Rise

A study published this week shows that the prevalence of a drug-resistant bacteria, MRSA, might be twice as high as previously believed.

Doctors have also identified a strain of bacteria responsible for the common ear infection that is resistant to all antibiotics approved for use in children. The discovery was made after a group of children in Rochester, N.Y., did not respond to standard antibiotics being used to treat their ear infections.

Guests discuss the problem of antibiotic resistance, and what might be done to combat the rise of drug-resistant pathogens.

Guests:

Michael Pichichero, M.D., physician, Legacy Pediatrics; professor of microbiology and immunology at the University of Rochester Medical Center

William Schaffner, M.D., vice president, National Foundation for Infectious Diseases; professor and chair of the Department of Preventive Medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center