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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has worked with athletic teams to instruct them on the prevention of a new, highly resistant staph infection.
Staph Bacteria Loves Locker RoomsLocker rooms provide a perfect environment for infections to spread. Athlete’s foot is a constant concern for athletes sharing shower stalls. But, a new strain of staph bacteria is invading schools in Texas. What Is Staph Infection?Staph is short for Staphylococcus which is a bacteria. It is commonly found in hospitals but this bacterium is now moving into our schools. Staph lives on skin near openings such as the nose and mouth. When the skin is broken for any reason, the bacteria may enter through the wound and cause an infection. Common types are
Why Locker Rooms?Staph infection origins are more likely to occur in a locker room because this bacterium likes a warm and humid environment. The warmest and most humid environments in a school are usually the locker areas. And, athletes are likely to receive scratches or cuts during an athletic event such as football, soccer, wrestling or basketball. Even profuse sweating can encourage staph to spread. [Stephen C. Eppes, MD, kidshealth.org, August 2006] Easy To TransmitThe easiest way to transmit staph bacteria from one athlete to another is to share towels, deodorant, equipment or a bar of soap. College dorm rooms are also breeding grounds for staph because of the close quarters and sharing of personal items. A friend visits from another dorm room, sits on an unmade bed, unknowingly spreads the infection to the sheets, the other student scratches a scab while sleeping, and staph infection has begun. Even artificial turf can be a breeding ground for staph. Dangerous?Most staph infections are not dangerous and are easily stopped. However, the new strain, MRSA or Staphylococcus aureus, is highly resistant to antibiotics commonly used to stop the bacteria from growing. It also produces toxins that can kill. And, it is very contagious. If one member of a football team gets infected, it is likely that many on the team will soon be infected, as well. International Society for Infectious DiseaseDr. Richard Wenzel, president of the ISID, states, "If one young person gets this infection, unfortunately, so do many others. But this is not your father’s staph. It has a couple of extra genes that make it antibiotic-resistant and toxins that destroy tissue." This infection begins abruptly and can infect blood and bones, causing severe illness requiring hospitalization. [Laurie Fox, dallasnews.com, October 5, 2007] PneumoniaPneumonia can be caused by MRSA. The S. aureus bacteria can quickly infect the lungs (a warm and moist environment), eat holes through the lungs, release toxins into the body and cause kidney failure. This can happen within a few days. There are specific antibiotics that are effective but the patient must act quickly to receive the correct medication. [Laurie Fox, dallasnews.com, October 5, 2007] Prevention
SOURCE: Texas Department of State Health Services site Read more about student health issues here. Read previous articles on Educational Issues. Copyright article 2007 Barbara Pytel. All Rights Reserved.
The copyright of the article Staph Infection In Schools in Student Health Issues is owned by Barbara Pytel. Permission to republish Staph Infection In Schools in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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