MRSA

MRSA

Guidelines/info

MRSA (methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus) bacteria, often called staph infection, is resistant to treatment with the usual antibiotics. Guidelines and information for schools provided by the Ohio Department of Health include:

MRSA is typically spread through direct person-to-person contact, or indirectly through shared personal articles, such as towels, razors, clothing or athletic equipment.

MRSA is not spread by coughing or sneezing, even though humans are most often colonized with staph in the nose.

MRSA infections are generally mild and affect the skin with pimples or boils that can be swollen, painful and drain pus. They are often mistaken for spider bites.

Allow time for frequent and thorough hand washing by students and staff members. Hand washing is the most effective method of infection control for MRSA, the common cold and influenza.

Students or staff members with MRSA do not need to be routinely excluded from the classroom, unless directed by a physician. Exclusion from school should be reserved for those with wound drainage (pus) that cannot be covered and contained with a clean, dry bandage, and for those who cannot maintain good personal hygiene.

Students with active infections should be excluded from activities, such as sports where skin-to-skin contact is likely to occur until their infections are healed.

Closing schools has not been found to be effective in reducing the spread of MRSA.

Students with open wounds should not use whirlpools, hydrotherapy pools, cold tubs, swimming pools and other common tubs.

Source: Ohio Department of Health