Staph infections affect schools nationwide

Hayley Tsukayama News Editor

On Friday, Oct. 26, a food service worker at Haviland Middle School in Hyde Park was diagnosed with methillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a drug-resistant strain of a staph virus.

According to the Poughkeepsie Journal, the worker is not seriously ill and will return to work when she is well again. Because the worker was wearing protective gloves over the rash while serving food, thereby preventing the spread of the infection, the district has decided not to close the school.

Dutchess County officials have begun investigating half a dozen possible cases of MRSA including the Haviland case. On Oct. 29, Two students from Dover Middle School in eastern Dutchess County were treated for MRSA and subsequently released.

Staphylococcus aureus normally causes minor skin infections that resemble boils or pustules and spreads through direct skin or wound contact, or contact with a surface that has been exposed to an infected person’s skin. More serious cases can cause serious soft tissue damage, bloodstream infection and major organ failure. In most cases, draining the rash and disinfecting and covering the area cures most patients of the virus. MRSA is a problem because it resists traditional treatment, requiring stronger medication for the same amount of virus.

Though the virus is not a new phenomenon, recent outbreaks at schools, as well as medical studies showing this particular staph strain on the rise have grabbed public attention. In Virginia, the MRSA-related death of 17-year-old Ashton Bonds, a senior at Staunton River High School caused Roanoke school officials to shut down the district’s 21 schools for cleaning. On Oct. 25, a Brooklyn student at IS-211 in Canarsie died from MRSA.

Staph infections have hit hard at the collegiate level as well. At the University of Maryland, a case of MRSA prompted school officials to disinfect and fumigate a student’s residential suite. The university would not reveal any personal information about the student other than that he or she is responding well to treatment, but the University of Maryland’s paper, The Diamondback, reported that all of the infected student’s toiletries were disposed of and all shared surfaces disinfected.

At Vassar, Baldwin Health Services nurse practitioner Anne Dadarria said that athletes are most vulnerable to MRSA, as they often have abrasions and share items such as water bottles, towels, clothing and razors. Athletic facilities are particularly hospitable to the virus, as many people use the same exercise equipment.

While there have been no reports of MRSA on the Vassar campus, Dadarria said that students should always take precautions to avoid spreading illness, such as frequent hand-washing and good hygiene. She said that Baldwin’s doctors and nurses have been updated on MRSA and will continue their normal preventative measures such as hand washing, using alcohol-based sanitizers and having all linens and infirmary surfaces professionally cleaned. Dadarria added that Baldwin is careful about practicing “judicious antibiotic use,” and asked that students be mindful of what ailments truly require antibiotics.

Director of Environmental Health and Safety James Kelly said in an e-mailed statement that if a Vassar community member were diagnosed with MRSA, he or she would be “referred to Health Services or their primary care provider or hospital emergency room for treatment.” Kelly and Dadarria said the College would likely seek guidance from the Department of Health, which currently advocates sterilizing all surfaces and educating the community about MRSA.