MRSA in Schools: What You Need To Know To Protect Yourself and Your Children

With the beginning of a new school year and sports season upon us, there is an emerging infection control issue that is sweeping the nation among school aged children and in particular among athletes. Last autumn, Nicholas Johnson, a healthy, 12-year-old football player from Stafford, Texas was sent to the doctor with a minor shoulder injury. Nicholas would spend the next five weeks in the hospital battling for his life. “He was like a stroke victim when he came out of the hospital,” said Nicholas’ mother, Janet. “He was on a ventilator for 12 days. It was the scariest thing I ever went through.”1 Nicholas was infected by a deadly new bacterium named MRSA or methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus that is plaguing the United States.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Staphylococcus aureus, commonly known as “Staph,” are bacteria frequently carried on the skin or in the nose of 25 to 35 percent of healthy people.2 In most cases, the presence of these bacteria is normal and does not present a health concern. But sometimes, Staph can invade the body through an open wound and cause an infection. In most cases, these infections are minor and can be treated with antibiotics. Methicillin is type of antibiotic used to treat staph infections. In some cases, the bacteria may become resistant to methicillin and may become more difficult to treat, thus the emergence of MRSA.

The emergence of MRSA outside the hospital is a threat doctors have worried about for years. Often called a “superbug,” MRSA is a germ that commonly used antibiotics won’t kill.1 In fact, many doctors believe the overuse of antibiotics is one contributing factor to their virulence. Emerging infectious diseases are the third-leading cause of death in the United States.3 MRSA can cause skin infections that may look like a pimple or boil and can be red, swollen, painful, or have pus or other drainage. In many cases, it is often initially mistaken for a spider bite. More serious life-threatening infections may include surgical wound infections, bloodstream infections and pneumonia if not treated.