Yesterday morning WMUR reported that a student at Sunset Heights Elementary school in Nashua had a confirmed case of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and that a teacher was a possible second case. Unfortunately, the story really didn’t do a good job of explaining what MRSA is. I find this a bit surprising considering a student at Boscawen Elementary School died from MRSA in October (see Concord Monitor link below) and both of Nashua’s high schools had cases last fall (see The Telegraph link). None of these cases are related, but it’s obvious that MRSA is something parents should be aware of.
However, like BPA in baby bottles, it’s also a topic where a little bit of information can be a bad thing. Nobody wants to think of their kids being exposed to some sort of “super germ” in their school…I know my first reaction would be to keep my daughter at home if I learned of a case at her daycare. Of course, that would be a complete over-reaction on my part. One in three people are estimated to be carriers of the staph virus, but the percentage of those carrying MRSA is much lower. And, like “normal” staph infections, the risk of MRSA being passed between people is very low and can be greatly reduced with simple precautions. I’m not sure that makes me feel better, but it does help keep things in perspective.
Here’s a quick overview of MRSA as well as some additional links to help you learn more:
What is MRSA?
In short, MRSA is a strain of staph bacteria that is resistant to all but the most powerful antibiotics. Often found in hospitals or nursing homes, the growth of MRSA outside those areas has been linked to the increased use of antibiotics. There are two types, hospital-acquired MRSA (HA-MRSA) and community-acquired (CA-MRSA). Other than the source of the infection, the two are very similar.
How is MRSA Transmitted?
Skin-to-skin contact, or contact with items that have come in contact with someone else’s infection
Symptoms
According to the CDC: “Staph or MRSA infections in the community are usually manifested as skin infections, such as pimples and boils, and occur in otherwise healthy people.”
Treatment
Currently MRSA can be treated with more powerful antibiotics like vancomyacin. However, increased use of these antibiotics could lead to bacteria becoming more resistant to them in the future. Wounds may also be drained by a physician.
Prevention
The best ways to prevent MRSA infections are the same things you would use to prevent other infections: Wash hands regularly, keep wounds covered, and don’t share personal items.
Additional Links
- MRSA in Schools – CDC
- Overview of Community-Associated MRSA – CDC
- MRSA Infection – Mayo Clinic
- MRSA: Understand your risk and how to prevent infection – Mayo Clinic
- Hand washing: An easy way to prevent infection – Mayo Clinic
- Wikipedia entry on MRSA
- Understanding MRSA – WebMD
- School aid and student have MRSA – The Telegraph
- N.H. official answers staph questions – Concord Monitor
Let me know if you have any other links that would be useful to SNHParents.