Schools Deal With Staph Infections: An Outbreak Has Officials Cleaning Common Areas and Encouraging

Oct 16, 05:13 PM

Current Headlines: By Cathy Grimes, Daily Press, Newport News, Va.

Oct. 16--A Bruton High School football player's diagnosis of a treatment-resistant bacterial infection is the latest in a string of such infections reported across the state and the nation.

The student athlete was diagnosed with a staphylococcus, or staph infection. Staph is one of the most common skin infections in the United States, and usually responds quickly to antibiotics.

The Bruton football player has a tougher strain, often referred to as MRSA, that does not respond to penicillin or other common antibiotics. Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA and pronounced "mersa," is treatable, according to health officials, but can pose risks to young children, the elderly and people with depressed immune systems. Methicillin is a semisynthetic penicillin.

York School District spokeswoman Betsy Overkamp-Smith said cleaning crews sanitized Bruton's athletic facilities and other common areas over the weekend. Officials called Bruton families to tell them about the infection and ask that parents discuss prevention measures, such as hand-washing, with their children. District athletic directors and coaches also are discussing the topic with their teams and students.

Staph infections once were seen mostly in hospitals and other medical facilities, but in recent years have become more common in schools and facilities unrelated to the medical field.

The infections are most often spread through skin contact, making athletes particularly susceptible. But the bacteria can live on surfaces such as locker benches, towels, sports equipment, uniforms and razors.

Schools and physicians are not required to report staph infections to public health officials, but many local districts have been in contact with health departments in the wake of the reported infections.

Last week, Newport News' Menchville High School closed its weight room because at least four student athletes had been diagnosed with staph infections, including at least one confirmed case of MRSA that required hospitalization. The district disinfected the weight room and other common areas over the weekend.

The weight room was not a confirmed source of the infection, but school officials closed it because it was easier to immediately keep students out of it, said district spokeswoman Michelle Morgan Price.

District officials on Monday kept in regular communication with the Peninsula Health Center. Neither the district nor the center received reports of any new students with infections, Price said.

In the past few days, trainers and coaches have been meeting with athletes at all five high schools to discuss ways of preventing outbreaks, such as properly covering wounds and cuts, and wiping off equipment and other commonly used areas.

"We're encouraging kids to wash their hands frequently and to not share their personal items, clothes and equipment," Price said.

One student at Lafayette High School in Williamsburg-James City County is being treated for a confirmed case of MRSA, according to Janice Fowler, the district's supervisor of health services. She said she learned of the case Monday. The student is not involved in sports or extracurricular activities, she said.

Last school year, the district began a campaign to promote awareness of germs by hanging posters that stressed the importance of hand-washing and other hygiene measures, Fowler said. The district also installed paper toilet seat covers in all high school restrooms, Fowler said.

Students -- especially those who are athletes -- are told to cover open sores, wounds or infections, and to wash their hands frequently, Fowler said.

While no cases have been reported in Hampton City Schools, district officials contacted the city health department after learning of the staph infections at Menchville High.

"The health department gave us information to give to parents if they call us," said district spokeswoman Ann Stephens. "We reminded athletic directors and coaches to wash down common areas and benches with bleach."

Karen Davis, whose 17-year-old son, Robbie Davis, plays on the Phoebus High School football team, said she is not worried about the risk of infection. "I'm not alarmed at all," she said. "We know the school division is doing what they need to do. The signs are up, and we know they've talked to the athletes about this."

Davis said her son is careful about washing his hands and taking other precautions to avoid the risk of staph or other contagious infection.

Poquoson Superintendent Jonathan Lewis said the topic came up at a meeting a week ago, before the local cases were reported. He said the district is reviewing its cleaning procedures and looking at "cleaning things we don't normally think of," such as computer keyboards.

Poquoson is almost "fanatic" about hand-washing at the elementary school level, with waterless hand-cleaner dispensers in the lunch lines and classrooms, but Lewis said the focus fades in the middle and high schools. The district is considering adding hand-cleaner dispensers in the middle and high school lunch lines.

Suffolk, Surry and Isle of Wight school districts have no reported staph infections. But Surry Schools Superintendent Lloyd Hamlin said his district took the precaution of sanitizing the weight room and locker rooms after hearing of the other local cases.

Mathews County Schools Superintendent David Holleran said his district has a pretty good handle on preventing staph infections in locker rooms and weight rooms. The district had a reported case about four years ago and has been proactive in cleaning to prevent similar instances since then. The district bought a machine that works like a dehumidifier to dry out the air in the locker room to inhibit the growth of bacteria.

"We feel like we're doing everything we can at this point," Holleran said.

More information about MRSA and staph infections --MRSA (methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus) is a type of staph that is resistant to antibiotics. It occurs most often among people in hospitals and health care facilities, but is becoming more common in community settings -- such as schools.

--A staph or MRSA infection can look like a pimple or boil. Infections can be red, swollen, painful, or have pus or other drainage. More serious infections can cause pneumonia, bloodstream infections or surgical wound infections.

--The Centers for Disease Control has investigated clusters of "community associated" MRSA infections among athletes, military recruits, children, Pacific Islanders, Alaskan Natives, Native Americans, men who have sex with men, and prisoners.

--Most staph and MRSA infections are treatable with antibiotics. If you are given an antibiotic, take all of the doses, even if the infection is getting better, unless your doctor tells you to stop taking it.

--Don't share antibiotics with other people or save unfinished antibiotics to use at another time.

--If after visiting your health care provider an infection is not getting better after a few days, contact them again.

--If other people you know or live with get the same infection tell them to go to their health care provider.

Quick facts about staph Q: What is staph?

A: Staphylococcus aureus is a bacteria commonly carried on the skin or in the nose of healthy people -- and the most common cause of skin infections in the United States. Most infections are minor and can be treated without antibiotics.

Q: How can you prevent staph skin infections?

--Keep your hands clean by washing thoroughly with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

--Keep cuts and scrapes clean and covered with a bandage until healed.

--Avoid contact with other people's wounds or bandages.

--Avoid sharing personal items such as towels or razors.

Q: How is it spread?

A: Factors include close skin-to-skin contact, openings in the skin such as cuts or abrasions, contaminated items and surfaces, crowded living conditions, and poor hygiene.

Source: Centers for Disease Control

Quick facts about staph

Staff writers Angela Forest, Shawn Day, Alicia P.Q. Wittmeyer and Jon Cawley, as well as wire services, contributed to this report.

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