Background
Staphylococcus aureus (known as "staph") is a common bacterium that is carried on the skin or in the nose of healthy people. Approximately 30% of people carry the staph bacteria, and most never develop any symptoms or illness. Staph is a leading cause of skin and soft tissue infection and when an infection does occur, it is usually mild.
Staph skin infections can be just at the surface of the skin or can go into the soft tissue to form a boil or abscess. Invasive staph infections are different from skin and soft tissue infections. Invasive staph infections are more serious, but they occur much less often than skin or soft tissue infections.
Community-Acquired Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) is a type of Staphylococcus aureus, which is resistant to some of the antibiotics that typically have been used to treat skin and soft tissue infections. CA-MRSA is resistant to methicillin and other penicillin type antibiotics such as amoxicillin and the cephalosporins.
How Staph Infections are Spread
Staph infections are spread by direct physical contact with the bacteria. It is almost always spread person-to-person, but can be spread through contact with contaminated surfaces, personal items or equipment. Spread of staph infections has occurred through skin-to-skin contact when playing sports, such as football or wrestling, or from surfaces in gyms and locker rooms.
How Staph Infections are Treated
Staph infections are treatable. The treatment may include drainage of the infection site and/or treatment with antibiotics. There are antibiotics available for all forms of staph infections, including CA-MRSA.
How to Prevent/Control Spread
Students and staff should be encouraged to wash their
hands for 15-20 seconds frequently with warm
water and soap. School health services staff should
educate students and staff on the importance of hand
washing. If soap is not available, alcohol-based
sanitizers should be used.
Students should shower after every athletic activity
using soap and clean towels
Students should not share personal hygiene or
other items
such as towels, soap, clothing and razors. If
schools are responsible for washing towels, athletic
uniforms, etc. these items should be washed after every
use. To avoid sharing of bar soap, schools should
consider placing soap dispensers on walls,
particularly in locker rooms, etc
Skin cuts, scrapes or breaks should be kept clean and
dry to minimize the chance of developing an
infection.
Proper bandages should be used to keep all infected
wounds covered. Students should not be allowed
to participate in athletics, gym class, etc., if an
infected wound cannot be covered.
Schools should have and follow protocols for routine
cleaning that includes sanitizers and a regular
cleaning schedule. Particular attention should be
given to damp or wet areas and those areas that may
be contaminated by body fluids. Particular attention
should be given to locker rooms, showers and the
school health services office. It is recommended
that a disinfectant that is EPA registered as
effective against MRSA be used to clean surfaces
Perform daily surface cleaning of locker room
surfaces (examples: showers, benches, countertops)
and scheduled cleaning of weight room
equipment and other gym or other athletic equipment
that is shared. These surfaces should be washed
after each use with a disinfectant, such as bleach
or hospital-grade disinfectant
Messages for School Personnel
School
closure is not an appropriate response to CA-MRSA
infections in students. Response should focus on
following the above measures to prevent and control
spread of staph to other students
If
a student is determined to have a skin or soft tissue
infection, school health services staff or other
designated personnel should clean and cover the wound
site and notify the child's parents
Parents should be advised to seek further evaluation
and/or treatment by their child's doctor.
Keep a first aid kit with ample dressings available at
athletic events.
Staff should report skin and soft tissue infections to
the school nurse and to coaches/athletic
trainers/physical education teachers so that hygiene
practices can be reviewed and corrected if
deficient.
School nurses should consider a CA-MRSA diagnosis in all
students who present with signs of skin or soft
tissue infection
School health services staff and other school personnel
who might have contact with students suspected of
CA-MRSA infection should use contact
precautions.
Messages for Students/Parents
Good hygiene is the best prevention!
Children and youth should be encouraged to wash
their hands frequently with warm water and soap.
Parents should educate children about the importance
of hand washing, particularly after nose-wiping. If
soap is not available, alcohol-based sanitizers can
be used.
Skin cuts, scrapes or breaks should be kept clean and
dry to minimize the chance of developing an
infection.
Proper bandages should be used and changed daily or more
frequently, if necessary to keep all infected
wounds clean and covered.
If your child has a skin infection that is not
getting better, contact his or her doctor.
If your child is taking antibiotics for an infection,
make sure they complete the full number of doses as
prescribed. Antibiotics should not be shared or
saved for future use.
Take your child to see a medical provider if the skin or
soft tissue begins to appear infected- red, hot,
swollen, tender or draining pus.
Students should report skin and soft tissue infections
to the school nurse and to coaches/athletic
trainers/physical education teachers.
Resources
American
Academy of Pediatrics - Hot Topics: Community-Acquired
MRSA