With the confirmation of five cases of MRSA being reported in various Wilkes County Schools, we're passing along the follwoing information to help avoid the hype and scare tactics being employed by some other media in the coverage of the spread of MRSA.
MRSA is the short name for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, a common bacteria that lives on the skin and in the nose of as many as one in ten people. In some otherwise healthy people, MRSA causes a skin infection that usually begins with a small bump resembling a pimple or insect bite, that may become red, swollen and painful or have pus or other drainage. People with those symptoms should see a doctor and follow the doctor’s advice. Most MRSA infections can be treated with antibiotics. More rarely, MRSA can cause pneumonia or other severe infections.
Outbreaks of MRSA occur in places and during activities where people have close contact with one another and share equipment and personal items, including gyms, daycare centers, and during sports activities, as well as in healthcare settings. MRSA is usually spread through direct physical contact with an infected individual, but can sometimes be spread by touching objects such as bandages, towels, sheets, or clothing that have been contaminated with the bacteria.
To prevent the spread of MRSA in sports teams and health clubs, athletes with draining lesions should not participate in contact sports unless the abrasion or cut can be covered completely with a clean, dry bandage. Public health experts also recommend that all athletes:
• shower with soap and water immediately after each game, meet or practice;
• keep abrasions or cuts covered with a clean dry bandage, and change the bandage at least daily;
• do not share personal items, such as towels, razors, soap, or deodorant with others;
• use a barrier such as clothing or a towel between their skin and shared equipment;
• wipe down surfaces of equipment or gear before and after use with alcohol or an approved antibacterial solution (such as Lysol®, Mr. Clean®, or a household bleach solution); and
• report skin lesions to the school or facility nurse, coach or manager immediately.
People with MRSA can prevent spreading staph or MRSA skin infections to others by covering their wounds, washing their hands frequently with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer; not sharing personal items; washing clothes and bedding in hot water with detergent and drying them in a hot dryer; and carefully following doctor’s directions, including taking all prescribed antibiotics.

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