During the course of the last 10 years, the number of hospital patients infected with a resilient,
antibiotic-resistant strain of bacteria called MRSA has escalated dramatically. There is reason to believe that there are even more cases than reported publicly. Nevertheless, MRSA Staph infections have risen to epidemic proportions.
MRSA is not airborne but rather spread by touch or contact. Statistics indicate that 6 out of 7 people infected with MRSA contracted it at a hospital or some type of health care facility. Last year, the CDC announced that MRSA claims more than 18,000 lives per year. This number supersedes the amount of people who die of AIDS. About 2 million hospital patients, nationwide, contract infections (MRSA-related or otherwise) during hospital stays each year, 100,000 of which end up being fatal.
Hospitals, however, are by no means the only place where MRSA can be contracted. About 30% of the general population unknowingly carry MRSA on the surface of their skin without any noticeable side effects. In addition to hospitals, outbreaks have been known to occur in places such as schools and public gyms. Private residences and even pets are also places that can harbor and spread this potentially life-threatening bacteria. Public hysteria over MRSA has been amplified by the fact that antibiotics tend to be ineffective in treating it.
Antibiotic-resistant disease is a man-made problem caused by the abuse and overuse of antibiotics. Prior to the advent of antibiotics, honey was often used to treat wounds and clear infection. Now that antibiotics have proven to be less effective against certain types of infections, medical professionals are reverting back to the use of honey for medicinal purposes. One of the most medicinally potent honeys of all is found in New Zealand.
The secret behind honey's healing power is glucose oxidase, which is an enzyme that is found in the saliva of honeybees. This enzyme, combined with the nectar of flowers, produces honey. The enzyme's antibacterial properties protect the honey from contamination. This enzyme also converts glucose to hydrogen peroxide, which is a gentle disinfectant.
The acidity of honey is enough to stop bacterial growth. The hydrogen peroxide present in honey is produced at safe levels (1/1000th of the level of a bottle of hydrogen peroxide antiseptic) but still potent enough to stop bacteria from growing.
