As you may already know (and probably not care about), drug-addicted singer Amy Winehouse was recently hospitalized after a fainting spell. The singer was tested for tuberculosis, which sparked a great many rumors, but in the end, that test has reportedly come back negative.

However, the fact of the matter is that drug-resistant TB is on the rise in Britain, and people with reduced immune systems, including those who are drug addicts, alcoholics, or lacking nutrition are more likely to contract the deadly disease. And, of course that means that someone like Winehouse would be fairly susceptible.

Friends and family of the singer hope that this serves as a wake-up call for the 24-year-old. She has several appearances scheduled for the summer, which she hopes to be able to attend, but a mouthpiece says she'll listen to her doctors' orders. You know, because she's listened so well to medical advice before now ...

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If you're at the hospital in the ICU, chances are you've already got some big problems and are facing several serious health risks, so adding one more that's connected to an antibiotic with the potential to save your life might not be the biggest of your concerns.

But it's still good to know the facts: Vancomycin, an antibiotic favored for almost 30 years for it's ability to fight staphylococci infections, has been linked to thrombocytopenia -- a sometimes deadly bleeding disorder.

This doesn't mean, however, that doctors will stop prescribing Vancomycin when necessary. More than likely it just means additional tests and monitoring during treatment, with doctors switching meds only if needed.

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