The mission of every Infectious Awareables tie is to generate interest, discussion, even excitement about serious public health issues such as this silk MRSA tie in blue. Believing that humor can be a powerful educational tool, Infectious Awareables neckties take an atypical, slightly irreverent approach to some very serious subjects. Shop and take pride in knowing that a portion of the proceeds will be donated to disease research/education. Our MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) design draws attention to the increasingly serious issue of antibiotic resistance. Typically transmitted skin-to-skin, MRSA in its earliest form was primarily a 'hospital-acquired' pathogen. However, it has now mutated into a 'community-acquired' strain, characterized by excretion of a potent toxin which attacks the immune system and destroys tissues. It is important to note that resistant forms look the same as other bacteria except that they bear genes and products ñ as demonstrated in our design by the 'glow' around the mutant strains - which protect them from antibiotics. Inspiration for this design was provided by APUA (Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics), an international organization dedicated to improving use of antimicrobials use and curbing antimicrobial resistance world wide. (www.apua.org) "Learning Note" and source credentials on reverse side of every tie. Note: IA contributes a portion of proceeds to research, education or support associated with important non-profit public health agencies and organizations.
