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The recent staph infection problem in schools has been growing in hospitals for years. Improved hygiene techniques greatly reduces the chances of staph. What else?
Staph: How Many Cases?While a few isolated cases of the new staph superbug are popping up in schools in California, Texas and Virginia, just how concerned should we be? According to a study published in the October issue of Journal of the American Medical Association, this mutated strain of staph is infecting over 90,000 Americans each year. The people affected by this strain of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are 35 per 100,000. To those in the medical profession, that figure is "astounding" and quite significant. [Lindsey Tanner, Associated Press, The Des Moines Register, October 17, 2007] How Many Staph Deaths? According to researchers, the superbug causes nearly 19,000 deaths annually. This rate is considered an epidemic and could kill more people than AIDS. AIDS killed 17,011 Americans in 2005 according to Dr. Elizabeth Bancroft of the Los Angeles County Health Department. She is the editorial author of the recent study in the AMA Journal. Most of these cases were life-threatening bloodstream infections. But, about 10 percent were "flesh-eating disease." [Lindsey Tanner, Associated Press, The Des Moines Register, October 17, 2007] Common LocationsHospitals battle staph infections because of open wounds after surgery. If staph enters the blood stream through an open cut, it has the potential to kill. Staph is most likely to be common in
Staph CarriersHealthy people can carry the bug in nasal passages and on skin around the mouth. They are not sick themselves so it is difficult to isolate the superbug. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention do not know if the 18,650 deaths were caused solely by the MRSA. Prevention of Staph InfectionsDr. Scott Fridkin, a co-author of the JAMA study, states how this can be prevented.
VaccinePresently, research is being conducted on creating a vaccine to conquer this superbug which was created from overuse of antibiotics. Warnings were issued for years about bugs mutating and becoming resistant to medications. Other drugs are available but will the bug mutate and make those ineffective, too? Dr. Buddy Creech, Vanderbilt University, emphasizes the need for the vaccine. [Lindsey Tanner, Associated Press, The Des Moines Register, October 17, 2007] Clean Up Is ExpensiveOnce a school has been infected with S. aureus, the costs can be prohibitive. Rappahannock County Superintendent Bob Chappell said the cost was $10,000 to clean the entire Virginia school with a bleach solution recommended by hospitals after a student was diagnosed with the pathogen. Some schools are sending athletic equipment to Philadelphia to be professionally sanitized. [Susan Levine and William Wan, Washington Post, October 18, 2007] Act FastOnce the pathogen is identified, action must be taken quickly with effective antibiotics. The 17-year-old student in Bedford County, Virginia was not diagnosed in time. His infection had spread to his kidneys, liver, lungs and the muscle around the heart. 17 schools have been shut down in the Bedford area to sanitize the school buildings. [Susan Levine and William Wan, Washington Post, October 18, 2007] Unfortunately, there seems to be no pattern to the pathogen—no obvious trail. Epidemiologists are developing a tracking system that would quickly announce when outbreaks occur. Meanwhile, good hygiene and covering wounds is the best prevention. Read previous articles on Educational Issues. Copyright article 2007 Barbara Pytel. All Rights Reserved.
The copyright of the article How To Eliminate Staph Infection in Student Health Issues is owned by Barbara Pytel. Permission to republish How To Eliminate Staph Infection in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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Nov 6, 2007 6:47 AM
tommy :
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