2008 Woodie Awards
Officials: Staph outbreak not a major concern
Washing hands for 15 seconds kills infections
By: Dillon Thorne
Issue date: 11/9/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
A deadly form of staph infection has been detected on Central Michigan University's campus, but officials say there isn't any need for panic.
"At University Health Services, we have had five cases of (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus) since July 1, 2007, which is more than we saw from July 1, 2006 to June 30, 2007," said Sarah Campbell, director of University Health Services.
She said CMU had three non-MRSA infections since July 1 and there are no reported MRSA deaths on campus.
Mary Kushion, health officer for Central Michigan District Health Department, said media attention around MRSA is being taken out of perspective.
"MRSA - it's everywhere all the time," Kushion said. "Chances are you may have come into contact with it - and you washed your hands and you got rid of it. More people will die this winter from the flu than from MRSA. If you're concerned about getting sick, go get a flu shot instead."
MRSA is an evolved form of the infection which, according to the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, kills almost 19,000 people annually. MRSA is different from a normal staph infection because certain strains have mutated and adapted following 50 years of penicillin-related antibiotics, making certain strains deadly.
Normal staph infection usually consists of redness of the skin and other irritations, but the more deadly MRSA affects the body differently.
"(The skin will) get red with painful lesion on their skin somewhere that looks like it's draining," said Dr. Sarah Yonder, Health Services physician. "The wound will have puss and will be warm and tender, it kind of looks like a spider bite boil or pimple and it'll be deep into the tissue."
MRSA first was detected in prisons, more recently in schools and athletic locker rooms. MRSA is most commonly seen in elderly, young and black people, Yonder said.
To prevent getting MRSA or any form of staph infection, CMU officials stressed good personal hygiene and hand washing as the best prevention.
"The single most helpful thing you can do to prevent or limit the spread of MRSA is to wash your hands often and thoroughly - use soap and water and scrub for at least 15 seconds," Campbell said.
She also advised not sharing personal items, treating cuts and abrasions immediately, showering after physical activity and proper cleaning of athletic equipment.
"There have been no cases where someone has died that we've been treating," Yonder said. "There are strains of MRSA that are treatable. We haven't seen any really bad strains, but there are some out there - just not here."
news@cm-life.com
"At University Health Services, we have had five cases of (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus) since July 1, 2007, which is more than we saw from July 1, 2006 to June 30, 2007," said Sarah Campbell, director of University Health Services.
She said CMU had three non-MRSA infections since July 1 and there are no reported MRSA deaths on campus.
Mary Kushion, health officer for Central Michigan District Health Department, said media attention around MRSA is being taken out of perspective.
"MRSA - it's everywhere all the time," Kushion said. "Chances are you may have come into contact with it - and you washed your hands and you got rid of it. More people will die this winter from the flu than from MRSA. If you're concerned about getting sick, go get a flu shot instead."
MRSA is an evolved form of the infection which, according to the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, kills almost 19,000 people annually. MRSA is different from a normal staph infection because certain strains have mutated and adapted following 50 years of penicillin-related antibiotics, making certain strains deadly.
Normal staph infection usually consists of redness of the skin and other irritations, but the more deadly MRSA affects the body differently.
"(The skin will) get red with painful lesion on their skin somewhere that looks like it's draining," said Dr. Sarah Yonder, Health Services physician. "The wound will have puss and will be warm and tender, it kind of looks like a spider bite boil or pimple and it'll be deep into the tissue."
MRSA first was detected in prisons, more recently in schools and athletic locker rooms. MRSA is most commonly seen in elderly, young and black people, Yonder said.
To prevent getting MRSA or any form of staph infection, CMU officials stressed good personal hygiene and hand washing as the best prevention.
"The single most helpful thing you can do to prevent or limit the spread of MRSA is to wash your hands often and thoroughly - use soap and water and scrub for at least 15 seconds," Campbell said.
She also advised not sharing personal items, treating cuts and abrasions immediately, showering after physical activity and proper cleaning of athletic equipment.
"There have been no cases where someone has died that we've been treating," Yonder said. "There are strains of MRSA that are treatable. We haven't seen any really bad strains, but there are some out there - just not here."
news@cm-life.com
Be the first to comment on this story