Recent reports of staph infections among students at Shelby County High School in Columbiana have prompted enhanced cleaning measures in an attempt to reduce the likelihood of any further infections.
“We have intensified cleaning efforts following the reported staph infections,” said Cindy Warner, Public Relations Supervisor for Shelby County Schools. “We have been paying close attention to the locker room and PE changing areas. Desks are wiped down each day with disinfectant, and even school buses are cleansed on a daily basis. These precautions are important as cold and flu season approaches anyway, when germs are always a problem.”
According to Warner, 5 confirmed cases of staph infections have been reported at Shelby County High School within the last month. Four of these cases were normal staph infections that responded well to antibiotics. One of the students, however, was infected by an MRSA strain.
“MRSA refers to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and means that the staph bacteria is resistant to a class of antibiotics called the beta-lactams (eg: penicillin),” said Elizabeth Turnipseed, Director of Disease Control at the Jefferson County Department of Health (JCDH). “Fortunately, we have other antibiotics that can treat these infections.”
According to Turnipseed, it is important that the public understands that about 30% of normal, healthy people have staph on their skin or in their nose naturally. But where, exactly, do staph infections appear and how do people determine whether they should seek a physician’s care?
“I have seen abscesses near the nostril, on the neck, in the armpits, on the trunk, on the buttocks, and on the upper and lower limbs,” said Dr. Alan Stamm, UAB Hospital Infection Control Officer. “Most of the MRSA infections that occur outside of health care settings, however, involve the skin.”
According to Stamm, staph infections can present as cellulitis, as an abscess, or as multiple abscesses scattered along the body at the same time, a condition known as furunculosis.
Stamm describes cellulitis as a thickened, red, warm, tender patch of skin that may originate from a small cut or scrape and can potentially expand to include much of a limb! The skin can become blistered or develop ulcerations or sores. An abscess, which is also known as a carbuncle or a boil, can develop as a raised, warm, red, tender spot that may be small (1 cm) or large (10 cm). It is common that the more superficial and large lesions will spontaneously rupture or drain at the surface, releasing white or yellow pus.
He also adds that, because these presentations could be due to germs other than MRSA, a culture is required to prove that MRSA is indeed responsible.
According to Turnipseed, taking a few simple precautionary steps may assist the general public from falling prey to a staph infection. These steps include maintaining good personal hygiene by keeping the hands washed, taking hot soapy showers particularly after contact sports or other close skin-to-skin contact. It is also important to keep all wounds covered; wipe down shared sports equipment with bleach-based cleaners; and do not share razors, towels, or other personal items.
“Close skin-to-skin contact and crowded conditions are important risk factors for community acquired staph/MRSA,” said Turnipseed. “Every year we see superficial skin infections attributable to staph when contact sports are being played. Fortunately, the majority of these are minor.”
UAB students are not overly concerned about the recent staph infections but do take routine precautions against germs by using hand sanitizers and, for surfaces, Clorox wipes.
“I do not know of any students actively taking precautions against staph,” said Kristin Johnston, UAB graduate student and Academic Advisor in the School of Business. “Students seem to be more concerned about the recent TB infections.”
This exact sentiment is echoed at the UAB Campus Recreation Center, where gym equipment is routinely disinfected.
“We have multiple disinfectant spray bottles in all workout areas – cardio room, weight room, fitness corridor and stretching mats upstairs,” said Wendi Stanley, Assistant Director of Fitness and Wellness at the UAB Campus Recreation Center. “We encourage all of our patrons to wipe off the equipment after use. My weight room attendants are also responsible for cleaning the machines and mats when they are working. Furthermore, we have periodic mass cleaning of all equipment; we spread all the mats out and spray with disinfectant spray and wipe off the other equipment.”
And how is the Shelby County High School student with the MRSA infection doing now?
“The student with the MRSA strain responded to another kind of antibiotic and the infection then cleared up,” said Warner.
Published in the UAB Kaleidoscope on November 6, 2007
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