Schools disinfect to curb outbreak of student staph infections
Posted: Saturday, October 20, 2007
OMAHA (AP) -- School officials in the Omaha area and part of the Panhandle have called for a thorough cleaning of their buildings to curb the spread of staph infections in students, including cases of an antibiotic-resistant "superbug" sometimes associated with serious skin problems and blood disorders.
The clusters of cases in Nebraska are part of a national increase in school-related staph infections, which included the death of a 17-year-old in Virginia.
"I've had numerous reports from communities around the state, physicians around the state in a variety of settings," said state epidemiologist Tom Safranek. "I would say it is extremely common."
But, he added, a staph infection is not the type of illness that warrants exceptional worry.
A staph infection, caused by staphylococcus aureus bacteria entering the body through a cut or scrape, can lead to several common and relatively minor skin infections. Safranek said many cases can be treated at home with over-the-counter remedies such as Epsom salt and triple antibiotic ointment.
The superbug -- a drug-resistant strain called methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA -- can be especially stubborn. It resists treatment with penicillin and related antibiotics but can be treated with other drugs.
The potentially fatal germ typically thrives in health care settings where people have open wounds. But in recent years, outbreaks have also occurred in schools.
Safranek said school-related cases often develop in athletes, because they have more physical interaction.
The majority of recent cases of staph infection in the Papillion-La Vista and Millard school districts -- both in the greater Omaha area -- have been reported in football or basketball players, according to school officials.
Papillion-La Vista has reported 13 cases this fall, including one each at an elementary and middle school. Spokeswoman Annette Eyman said 10 of those cases were confirmed to be MRSA.
Amy Friedman, spokeswoman for Millard Public Schools, said Millard North High School confirmed three cases of staph infection last month and four more this week. Of those, she said, one case was MRSA.
Officials at both school districts said they were being more vigilant in cleaning their buildings, particularly locker rooms, and were informing students and parents of the illness and what precautions should be taken. Those included washing hands often, covering cuts with bandages and washing gym clothes in hot water.
Similar measures were listed on the Web site for the Garden County Schools in western Nebraska. A letter posted there from a Panhandle Public Health official confirmed cases of MRSA in students there.
Garden County High School principal Bruce Hird would not comment on the number of students who had fallen ill or what measures the school was taking to curb further illness.
However, another letter posted on the school district Web site informed parents that Friday night's football game against Bayard High School had been canceled "due to fears of the spread of MRSA."
Bayard principal Joe Thompson said Friday there were no confirmed cases at his school.
Omaha Public Schools and Lincoln Public Schools officials said there has been a few, sporadic reports of staph infections at their schools this fall, but nothing more than years' past.
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta does not track staph infections but has confirmed that the cases seem to be more widespread than in the past.
Health officials in Nebraska also do not track cases of staph infection, but hospital labs are required to report the numbers of tests conducted for it, said Department of Health and Human Services spokeswoman Marla Augustine.
According to the department, 9,614 tests for MRSA came back positive in 2006, with some patients possibly having more than one test.
Safranek, the epidemiologist, said one death last year in Nebraska likely was caused by MRSA.
On the Net:
Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services: http://www.hhss.ne.gov/index.htm
Centers for Disease Control of Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/Features/MRSA/
The clusters of cases in Nebraska are part of a national increase in school-related staph infections, which included the death of a 17-year-old in Virginia.
"I've had numerous reports from communities around the state, physicians around the state in a variety of settings," said state epidemiologist Tom Safranek. "I would say it is extremely common."
But, he added, a staph infection is not the type of illness that warrants exceptional worry.
A staph infection, caused by staphylococcus aureus bacteria entering the body through a cut or scrape, can lead to several common and relatively minor skin infections. Safranek said many cases can be treated at home with over-the-counter remedies such as Epsom salt and triple antibiotic ointment.
The superbug -- a drug-resistant strain called methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA -- can be especially stubborn. It resists treatment with penicillin and related antibiotics but can be treated with other drugs.
The potentially fatal germ typically thrives in health care settings where people have open wounds. But in recent years, outbreaks have also occurred in schools.
Safranek said school-related cases often develop in athletes, because they have more physical interaction.
The majority of recent cases of staph infection in the Papillion-La Vista and Millard school districts -- both in the greater Omaha area -- have been reported in football or basketball players, according to school officials.
Papillion-La Vista has reported 13 cases this fall, including one each at an elementary and middle school. Spokeswoman Annette Eyman said 10 of those cases were confirmed to be MRSA.
Amy Friedman, spokeswoman for Millard Public Schools, said Millard North High School confirmed three cases of staph infection last month and four more this week. Of those, she said, one case was MRSA.
Officials at both school districts said they were being more vigilant in cleaning their buildings, particularly locker rooms, and were informing students and parents of the illness and what precautions should be taken. Those included washing hands often, covering cuts with bandages and washing gym clothes in hot water.
Similar measures were listed on the Web site for the Garden County Schools in western Nebraska. A letter posted there from a Panhandle Public Health official confirmed cases of MRSA in students there.
Garden County High School principal Bruce Hird would not comment on the number of students who had fallen ill or what measures the school was taking to curb further illness.
However, another letter posted on the school district Web site informed parents that Friday night's football game against Bayard High School had been canceled "due to fears of the spread of MRSA."
Bayard principal Joe Thompson said Friday there were no confirmed cases at his school.
Omaha Public Schools and Lincoln Public Schools officials said there has been a few, sporadic reports of staph infections at their schools this fall, but nothing more than years' past.
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta does not track staph infections but has confirmed that the cases seem to be more widespread than in the past.
Health officials in Nebraska also do not track cases of staph infection, but hospital labs are required to report the numbers of tests conducted for it, said Department of Health and Human Services spokeswoman Marla Augustine.
According to the department, 9,614 tests for MRSA came back positive in 2006, with some patients possibly having more than one test.
Safranek, the epidemiologist, said one death last year in Nebraska likely was caused by MRSA.
On the Net:
Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services: http://www.hhss.ne.gov/index.htm
Centers for Disease Control of Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/Features/MRSA/
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