Schools... Staph Infections, and Deaths Raise the Alarm

10-22-2007, 03:03 PM

Thought about putting this in parenting...

Schools in Several States Report Staph Infections, and Deaths Raise the Alarm
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/19/us...html?th&emc=th

Quote:

SANDY SPRING, Md., Oct. 18 — When the football players here at Sherwood High School were not getting the message about washing their uniforms and using only their own jerseys, the school nurse paid a surprise visit to the locker room. She brought along a baseball bat.

“Don’t make me use this,” the nurse, Jenny Jones, said, pointing out that seven players on the team had already contracted a deadly drug-resistant strain of bacteria this year. “Start washing your hands,” she said. “I mean it.”

School officials around the country have been scrambling this week to scrub locker rooms, reassure parents and impress upon students the importance of good hygiene. The heightened alarm comes in response to a federal report indicating that the bacteria, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, are responsible for more deaths in the United States each year than AIDS.

MRSA (pronounced MEER-suh) is a strain of staph bacteria that does not respond to penicillin or related antibiotics, though it can be treated with other drugs. The infection can be spread by sharing items, like a towel or a piece of sports equipment that has been used by an infected person, or through skin-to-skin contact with an open wound.

Don't freak...

Quote:

Nicole Coffin, a spokeswoman at the centers, said that while the results of the study are striking, it is important to realize that about 85 percent of the infections reported from the bacteria were in health care settings.

A bit scary for those of us with very young kids now that we are not supposed to use the hand gel since they can get alcohol poisoning if they put it on and then their hands in their mouth... which most of them do all the time.

Clodfobble · 10-22-2007, 03:11 PM

Quote:

MRSA (pronounced MEER-suh)

Huh. They always say "MUR-suh" on House...

Sundae · 10-22-2007, 03:19 PM

We say Em-Ar-Ess-Ey here
Interesting article though

DanaC · 10-22-2007, 03:52 PM

We say Em-ar-ess-ey, unless you're a nurse in a hospital in which case it's usually mursa.

Cloud · 10-22-2007, 05:20 PM

Yes, it's scary. Even scarier watching a child of yours (even if once removed) languish in the hospital waiting to see if the antibiotics will work or not.

Yes, we all know to wash our hands. But do we? The locker room scenario with those teenage boys is making me kind of sick thinking about it. And little kids--even if they wash their hands, chances are they are not doing it thoroughly enough to be effective.

Proper handwashing is more than just a quick rinse under the faucet. It's hot water, soap, vigorous washing, under the nails, up to the wrists.

Daughter No. 1 (whose daughter got sick) works in a day care; 3 of her kids go to school; and her husband works the intake desk at a hospital. Not surprising they are always getting sick.

I told Daughter No. 1 that she ought to make her whole family, when they come home, wash their hands FIRST thing before they touch anything. And to disinfect with a strong cleaner all the switchplates, door handles, etc. that get a lot of touching.

ZenGum · 10-23-2007, 10:05 AM

Damn I love that school nurse!
Hygiene is still not considered manly. For these boys, it's for cissies ... I say let em wash or not wash as they like and let Darwinism sort it out.
Not really, because it would help the disease spread, but the idea has some appeal.

BigV · 10-23-2007, 12:08 PM

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1193...googlenews_wsj

jester · 10-23-2007, 12:36 PM

Our school (were the boy plays football), several had staph within the past 2 months. Two or Three had it bad enough (not hospitalization, though). Just seems "odd" that there has been such a strain this year. What "seems" to be the difference, from this year than any other year?

glatt · 10-23-2007, 03:20 PM

The press is focusing on it this year.

It was sharks a couple years ago, and pit bulls a few years before that. Oh yeah, and the bird flu was in there too.

jinx · 10-23-2007, 03:22 PM

I wonder if there's a vaccine in the works...

monster · 10-23-2007, 04:45 PM

I'm sure there will soon be a whole range of anti-staph waterless handwashes and sanitized wipes....

BigV · 10-23-2007, 05:04 PM

to breed stronger bugz.

yippee.

Wash your hands people. srsly.

scboxer · 10-24-2007, 12:58 AM

Antibacterial soaps have been part of the problem. A couple of hospitals here in Seattle stopped using them a couple of years ago.

A year ago, I had a spider bite on my foot and didn't think too much about it. After a while, it got worse,but, then seemed better. About two months later, I wound up in the hospital with a serious case of MRSA. It was travelling internally up my leg so I didn't even know about it. Had it gotten into my blood stream, I wouldn't be typing this now. In Seattle, MRSA is rampant in the jails and hospitals. Now that it's finally hit the headlines, maybe something will get done!

P.S. This is totally different from bird flu, mad cow, etc. It's not speculation, it's here now and very real.

Shawnee123 · 10-24-2007, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by glatt

The press is focusing on it this year.

It was sharks a couple years ago, and pit bulls a few years before that. Oh yeah, and the bird flu was in there too.

I'm still waiting on the Killer Bees. (sudden scary organ music swells)

ZenGum · 10-24-2007, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shawnee123

I'm still waiting on the Killer Bees. (sudden scary organ music swells)

You find my organ scary?

10-22-2007, 03:19 PM	#3
Sundae polaroid of perfection Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 24,185	We say Em-Ar-Ess-Ey here Interesting article though __________________ Life's hard you know, so strike a pose on a Cadillac

10-22-2007, 05:20 PM	#5
Cloud ... Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 8,360	Yes, it's scary. Even scarier watching a child of yours (even if once removed) languish in the hospital waiting to see if the antibiotics will work or not. Yes, we all know to wash our hands. But do we? The locker room scenario with those teenage boys is making me kind of sick thinking about it. And little kids--even if they wash their hands, chances are they are not doing it thoroughly enough to be effective. Proper handwashing is more than just a quick rinse under the faucet. It's hot water, soap, vigorous washing, under the nails, up to the wrists. Daughter No. 1 (whose daughter got sick) works in a day care; 3 of her kids go to school; and her husband works the intake desk at a hospital. Not surprising they are always getting sick. I told Daughter No. 1 that she ought to make her whole family, when they come home, wash their hands FIRST thing before they touch anything. And to disinfect with a strong cleaner all the switchplates, door handles, etc. that get a lot of touching. __________________ "Guard your honor. Let your reputation fall where it will. And outlive the bastards!"

10-23-2007, 12:08 PM	#7
BigV Goon Squad Leader Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Seattle Posts: 27,063	http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1193...googlenews_wsj __________________ Be Just and Fear Not.

10-23-2007, 03:22 PM	#10
jinx Come on, cat. Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: general vicinity of Philadelphia area Posts: 7,013	I wonder if there's a vaccine in the works... __________________ Crying won't help you, praying won't do you no good.

10-23-2007, 04:45 PM	#11
monster I hear them call the tide Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Perpetual Chaos Posts: 30,852	I'm sure there will soon be a whole range of anti-staph waterless handwashes and sanitized wipes.... __________________ The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity Amelia Earhart

10-22-2007, 03:52 PM	#4
DanaC We have to go back, Kate! Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Yorkshire Posts: 25,964	We say Em-ar-ess-ey, unless you're a nurse in a hospital in which case it's usually mursa.

10-23-2007, 10:05 AM	#6
ZenGum Doctor Wtf Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Badelaide, Baustralia Posts: 12,861	Damn I love that school nurse! Hygiene is still not considered manly. For these boys, it's for cissies ... I say let em wash or not wash as they like and let Darwinism sort it out. Not really, because it would help the disease spread, but the idea has some appeal.

10-23-2007, 12:36 PM	#8
jester why so serious Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 1,712	Our school (were the boy plays football), several had staph within the past 2 months. Two or Three had it bad enough (not hospitalization, though). Just seems "odd" that there has been such a strain this year. What "seems" to be the difference, from this year than any other year?

10-23-2007, 03:20 PM	#9
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	The press is focusing on it this year. It was sharks a couple years ago, and pit bulls a few years before that. Oh yeah, and the bird flu was in there too.

10-23-2007, 05:04 PM	#12
BigV Goon Squad Leader Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Seattle Posts: 27,063	to breed stronger bugz. yippee. Wash your hands people. srsly. __________________ Be Just and Fear Not.

10-24-2007, 12:58 AM	#13
scboxer Soylent Greenhorn Join Date: May 2006 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 25	Antibacterial soaps have been part of the problem. A couple of hospitals here in Seattle stopped using them a couple of years ago. A year ago, I had a spider bite on my foot and didn't think too much about it. After a while, it got worse,but, then seemed better. About two months later, I wound up in the hospital with a serious case of MRSA. It was travelling internally up my leg so I didn't even know about it. Had it gotten into my blood stream, I wouldn't be typing this now. In Seattle, MRSA is rampant in the jails and hospitals. Now that it's finally hit the headlines, maybe something will get done! P.S. This is totally different from bird flu, mad cow, etc. It's not speculation, it's here now and very real. __________________ I hated my sig....

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