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Health Scare

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A strain of staph bacteria dubbed the “superbug,” known as Community Acquired Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, or MRSA, has become resistant to some antibiotics.

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By Bill Rettew Jr. | Highlands Today

Published: October 19, 2007

SEBRING — When it comes to prevention of staph infections, Mom was right.

A high school student from Virginia died recently after he was hospitalized with a staph infection, and one of five Hardee Senior High School football team members suffering from a staph infection was hospitalized after a reaction to medication.

The Hardee outbreak was mentioned in a Tampa Bay-area TV station broadcast, but health officials say the scare is being overblown.

Mothers and several local public health officials and health providers agree, the best way to prevent a staph infection is by washing your hands.

"Good hygiene and hand washing are extremely important to prevent the spread of disease," said Dr. Paula Thaki, director of the Highlands County Health Department.

Meredith Lutz, director of infection control at Florida Hospital, said all medical staff are trained to wash their hands after visiting with each individual patient.

More than half of staph infections involve hospitalized patients, or those hospitalized within the previous year – possibly as much as 5 percent of all patients.

Health providers are concerned because staph infections are targeting healthier people more than ever, including members of sporting teams, prisoners and residents of poor neighborhoods.

Dr. Stephen Gordon, executive medical director of the Hardee County Health Department, worked closely with the Hardee County School District, which is in the process of sending 5,000 letters to parents of all students.

Unfortunately a strain dubbed the "superbug," known as Community Acquired Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, or MRSA, has become resistant to some antibiotics, although Gordon maintained that it is "no more dangerous than regular staph bacteria."

Gordon suggested contacting a physician for early treatment. When treated early by a physician, the odds for a healthy recovery increase.

What typically resembles a mosquito bite, spider bite, a small boil, lesion or abscess is usually transmitted by person to person, but sometimes through the environment.

"Everybody has staph aureus in the body," said Lutz, of Florida Hospital. "That's normal for the human body."

Lutz said that education and hygiene greatly aid prevention. Hospital staff is taught to cover their noses when sneezing, to use tissues and to discard those tissues immediately. During the hospital admittance process, every patient is asked whether they have suffered from a staph infection and extra precautions are taken if applicable.

The use of alcohol hand sanitizer and hand washing can cut the spread of staph infections, but if symptoms show, Lutz also stressed the importance of visiting with a physician.

Gordon said that no confirmed cases of staph infections among the student population were noted within the last 10 days.

A staffer at a local physician's office reported late Thursday that a Sebring student had possibly contracted a staph infection. Earlier in the day, Thaqi said that it was not required by health providers to notify the health department in case of a MRSA staph infection.

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