University students concerned about the recent staph infection outbreak in Virginia high schools can rest easy, according to Dr. James C. Turner, executive director of Student Health.
An increased number of staph infections have been occurring in high schools across the state, including one incident that resulted in the death of a student in Bedford County, Va. earlier this week. According to the Center for Disease control Web site staph infections are a type of bacteria that may take the form of pimples or boils. Skin infections caused by staph may be "red, swollen, painful or have pus or other drainage."
The University health system, however, only sees about six or seven cases of staph infection each year, Turner said.
"We're unaware that any of these infected students have had serious problems," Turner said. "No one has been hospitalized, and there have been no secondary transmissions that we know of."
According to Lilian Peake, the health director for the Thomas Jefferson Health District, the bacterium staphylococcus aureus can live harmlessly on people's skin without making them sick. "The issue we've been dealing with for several years, at least since the 1980s, is that some of the staph bugs have become resistant to antibiotics," Peake said.
These bugs are known as methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, and typically affect people who already have compromised immune systems, Peake said, such as those in hospitals or other healthcare facilities. Part of the concern surrounding MRSA, however, stems from the fact that it is one of the bacteria strains that is resistant to certain types of antibiotics.
According to Peake, a new study was conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicating that deadly cases related to MRSA are more common than expected, even affecting people without previously compromised immune systems. Monina Klevens, a medical epidemiologist with the CDC who helped conduct the study, said the research showed 14 percent of staph infections are not healthcare related, such as the recent outbreak in high schools. The study also showed a greater number of infections occurring than previously thought, with a rate of infection 32 per 100,000 and a mortality rate of 6.3 per 100,000.
Klevens did point out, though, that "because it's the first time this has been studied, we can't say if it's an increase or a decrease,"
For students concerned about the infection, there is information about prevention on the CDC Web site, Klevens said, adding that in general, outbreaks have been controlled by improving hygiene and avoiding sharing personal items.
Even though MRSA is resistant to certain antibiotics, it is treatable with the proper care, Klevens said. Klevens advised students to be cautious and added that, "if they see something that looks like an infection they need to seek care."
According to Turner, if an outbreak were to occur, the University has a plan.
"We do have procedures in place that we've developed with the hospital and health department," Turner said, "It's part of overall infection control plan"
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