In Schools
What is MRSA (Mur-sa)? • “Super Bug” • Sometimescalled a “staph” infection • Commonly causes skin infections • Resistant to (not killed by) penicillin (Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus)
What does MRSA look like? • Spider bite • Turf burn • Impetigo • Boil • Abscess Source: LA County Health Department Source: Mark Grubb, MD Source: CDC Source: CDC Source: CDC
How do you get MRSA? • Skin to Skin Contact • Touching drainage from skin infections • Touching skin infections • Surface to Skin Contact • Touching unclean sports equipment, keyboards, phones, desktops, doorknobs. • Sharing personal hygiene items (skin ointments, razors, bar soap, towels)
What does “MRSA Carrier” Mean? A carrier has bacteria living on his/her body surfaces (nose, arm pits, groin, etc.) but does not have an active infection Colonized is also used to describe a carrier
Who is at High Risk for MRSA? • People who • Live in crowded conditions • Lack resources to stay clean • Lack access to healthcare • Share sports equipment • Share personal hygiene items
Who is at High Risk for MRSA? • People who • Overuse antibiotics or take them incorrectly • Have abraded or injured skin • Have severe immune system problems - Cancer, Leukemia, HIV
Who Gets MRSA Anyone can get MRSA!
How is MRSA Treated? • By a healthcare provider who may: • Drain the infection and/or • Prescribe an antibiotic and/or • Reduce the amount of MRSA on the patient’s skin
How does MRSA Spread? Through contact with • Skin infections • Drainage from skin infections • Surfaces contaminated with MRSA
Stop the Spread of MRSA! Hand washing is the most important way to prevent MRSA • Wash your hands often with warm soapy water, use friction and scrub for 20 seconds • Use 60% alcohol-based hand sanitizer when soap and water are not available
Stop the Spread of MRSA! • Report potential skin infections to the school nurse • Cover open wounds with clean, dry bandages that adhere to skin on all 4 sides • Don’t touch other people’s skin lesions
Stop the Spread of MRSA! • Consider excluding students from school if wound drainage cannot be contained by a clean, dry dressing • Do not place students with a MRSA infection in classrooms with students who have severe immune system suppression • Do not exclude students from school who are colonized, if there is no skin infection
Clean & Disinfect to get Rid of MRSA on Surfaces • Cleaning gets rid of the dirt you can see • Soap & water is a good cleaning solution • Disinfecting gets rid of most of the germs • Follow manufactures guidelines for disinfectants • Establish routine cleaning schedules
Clean & Disinfect to get Rid of MRSA on Surfaces • MRSA can stay on environmental surfaces for weeks! • Clean & Disinfect frequently all environmental surfaces that may come in direct contact with skin
Teachers & Administrative Staff – Team Up with Custodians • Clean & Disinfect • Keyboards • Phones • Desktops, lunch tables • Doorknobs, light switches
Athletic Directors, Trainers, & Coaches –Team Up Clean & Disinfect • Equipment (head gear, weights) that directly touch skin - after each use • Practice surfaces (wrestling mats) - before & after each practice session
Help Families Team Up Encourage • Frequent hand washing & use of 60% alcohol sanitizer when soap & water not available • Showering immediately after practice, competition & matches • Wearing athletic uniforms once, then washing with soap/hot water & drying in a hot dryer • Reporting skin infections to nurse/trainer
Protecting students from infections helps protect you …and your family!
Websites Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department (Search for “CA-MRSA”): tpchd.org Washington State Department of Health: doh.wa.gov/Topics/Antibiotics/htmlFactsheets/SkinInfections.htm CDC Hand Hygiene: cdc.gov/handhygiene/ CDC CA-MRSA Information: cdc.gov/ncidod/hip/Aresist/ca_mrsa.htm
