Wilkes Co. schools taking MRSA precautions for control of drug-resistant staph infections

With a reported case of the MRSA infection in Lincoln County schools last week, Wilkes County schools are working to prevent an increase in the resistant infection here.

"We don't have any cases reported in Wilkes County, but with it this close, we're taking precautions," said Wilkes County School Super- intendent Joyce Williams. "I met this week with Shelton West, our Director of Plant Operations, and with our three school nurses and work on strategies to fight this."

They are also working on a letter to send to parents explaining the risk of MRSA and steps that can be taken to prevent the infection - mainly hand washing and cleaning surfaces.

Williams said that they were also working on a protocol to use in the event of a confirmedcase.

Wilkes Health Department Director Jennifer Jackson, RN, said that MRSA - methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus - is already in Wilkes County and has been for years. "It's not at all uncommon," she said. "We've been treating it in hospitals for years, and in the community, too. It's not reported like it should be, so we don't have any reported cases now, but it's here."

In MRSA, the common staph germ - commonly found in pimples and boils - has become resistant to the antibiotics used to treat it. Because of that resistance, an infection can be hard to treat and can lead to life-threatening blood or bone diseases.

An MRSA infection can look like a spider bite, with symptoms of redness, warmth, swelling, pus, skin tenderness, pimples, boils, or blisters. These sores can change from surface irritations to abscesses or serious skin infections.

Since MRSA lives on skin and survives on surfaces for more than 24 hours, washing hands thoroughly with soap and water is the key to prevention, as is keeping cuts clean and covered with a proper bandage while they heal.

Athletes have been particularly affected in Georgia, according to the East Central Public Health District. "Athletic facilities provide the ideal environment for bacteria to thrive, as they can be warm and humid. MRSA can be spread through touching objects such as towels, clothing, workout areas and sports equipment that have MRSA germs on them."

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