November 2007 News

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Staph Prevention in Schools: MSRA

Following are excerpts from California Department of Public Health’s “A Parent’s Guide to MRSA in California: What You Need to Know”.

What is MRSA?

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a type of staph that is not killed by penicillin and similar antibiotics. About one out of every 100 people carries MRSA without it making them sick. MRSA infections do not look any different than those caused by ordinary staph.

What do staph and MRSA infections look like?

Common skin conditions caused by staph and MRSA may look like any of the following: sores that look and feel like spider bites, but are not spider bites; red painful bumps under the skin, called boils or abscesses; a cut that is swollen, hot, and filled with pus; blisters filled with fluid or red skin with a honey-colored crust (usually on the face); or red, warm, firm skin area that is painful and getting larger (usually on the legs.)

How does a person get staph or MRSA?

Staph is not usually passed through the air. Staph and MRSA can be spread when a person has direct skin-to-skin contact with an infected person or touches surfaces that have staph on them from someone else’s infection (e.g., towels, athletic equipment, used bandages). [Additional information for athletes (pdf) from the California Department of Health website]

What should I do if I think my child has MRSA?

If you think your child has MRSA, call a doctor. Do not ignore the sore and hope it will go away.

Can a child with an MRSA infection go to school?

Unless the doctor advises not to attend school, children should be allowed to attend school as long as their infection is not draining and can be covered by a dry dressing.

Do schools need to be closed and disinfected if a student has an MRSA infection?

No, it is not necessary to close schools to “disinfect” them because of MRSA infections. MRSA is spread mostly by direct skin-to-skin contact with an infected person or from touching surfaces that have staph on them from someone else’s infection. If the student’s infection has been covered, then no special cleaning is needed.

What is the easiest way to prevent MRSA and staph infections?

Hand washing is the easiest way to prevent MRSA and staph infections. If soap and running water is not available and hands do not have visible dirt on them, using an alcohol-based hand rub can kill staph germs.