The “superbug” — methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureaus (MSRA) — has received much national attention lately because of deaths it has caused in young people. We talked with Jami White, director of employee health and infection control at Newman Regional Health, about the superbug and what is being done locally.
Q Is the superbug being blown out of proportion by the national media?
A Well it certainly has got the media’s attention over the last 10 days, but it is actually nothing new. It is an organism we have been monitoring and watching for more than 10 years.
It is a skin organism that is found on the skin but it has become resistant to antibiotics. It used to be only found in health care facilities like hospitals or long-term care, but in the last five or six years it is being found in locker facilities, gyms, schools and day cares. Of all the cultures we take, we know 50 to 60 percent are resistant to antibiotics.
Q What precautions are being taken at the hospital?
A We have had protocol in place for about nine years — where we screen all high-risk admissions and we place them in private room until the screening gets back.
We consider a high-risk patient anyone that has been in any other facility in the last 30 days, like transfers from another hospital, nursing home or people who have devices like a catheter or feeding tube, or people who have a history of having a resistant organism.
Q Are the schools doing anything to keep kids safe?
A The Emporia school district has contacted me to look at the athletic areas and see what needs to be cleaned and disinfected on a routine basis.
It is important that people take preventive steps. For example, it is important for athletes to have clean clothes for practice everyday. The best breeding ground for organisms is a wet sweaty shirt that is stuffed in a gym bag in the trunk of the car. People need to have clean socks, clean shirts for each practice. You might go as far as having one gym bag to carry the dirty clothes home in and putting clean clothes into a different bag so there is no chance of cross contamination.
Q What are some other steps people can take to avoid getting a MRSA infection?
A Of course the No. 1 way is good hand washing. Keep any open sores on your skin covered, since that is a direct entry point for bacteria. Eat well, sleep right. But really the most important thing is to not misuse antibiotics.
Q What are some common signs that people may have this bug?
A The No. 1 complaint in the emergency room is that people think they have a spider bite or an odd rash. They will come in with a red, puffy area on their skin. They will need to be cultured and looked at by a physician.
Q Have you seen any of these cases in Emporia?
A We see these cases every day in Emporia, but we have not seen the invasive disease that causes organ failure like the incidents with the young people who have died. It’s important for people not to panic. We live with organisms every day.
create (anonymous) says...
What is disgusting is that some teams make a big deal over using the same practice clothes every day. I saw it at the school where I used to teach. The boys stunk and the locker room was putrid to the point where the smell would get out into the hallway. They thought they were being "tough" when really they were just being plain stupid.
It needs to be repeated that all athletes must have clean practice clothes every day. That was a good idea about having two separate gym bags. If not two gym bags, at least a plastic bag for the dirty clothes.
October 29, 2007 at 5:25 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )