Districts in Lehigh Valley region stressing common-sense cleanliness.

October 31, 2007

School District hasn't had any cases of MRSA this school year. That hasn't stopped Superintendent Thomas Seidenberger from sounding the alarm of precaution, making sure custodians swab down locker rooms with disinfectants more often and nurses look for students with open wounds.

''We want to be a little proactive,'' Seidenberger said Tuesday about the drug-resistant strain of bacteria that has been appearing in schools across the Lehigh Valley and the nation. ''It could show up anywhere. We're not that naive.''

The superbug known as MRSA, or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, has almost become a household word since Oct. 17, when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a report estimating it contributes to 18,650 deaths a year in the United States. Shortly afterward, the Pennsylvania Department of Health sent a memo to school districts reminding them of the risks and recommending that they use hospital-grade disinfectants in high traffic areas.

Several area school districts have responded by posting items on their Web sites and sending home notices, warning parents of the dangers and suggesting ways to keep families infection-free -- thorough hand-washing and not sharing the things families commonly share, such as towels and cell phones.

Meanwhile, in school districts where MRSA has turned up, officials are practicing full disclosure. East Stroudsburg Area School District issued a news release Tuesday about a case of MRSA involving a Lehman Intermediate School student.

Parkland High School sent students home with a letter Monday when a student was found to have MRSA.

The incidents are forcing schools to take unprecedented measures to stop the spread of an infection that was once mostly confined to prisons, hospitals, nursing homes and, occasionally, high school and college wrestling and football teams.

The computer labs and athletic facilities at Parkland's high school and two middle schools were temporarily closed and disinfected, as were the science labs at the high school, said Robert Thornburg, director of student services.

Allentown Central Catholic High School did a top-to-bottom cleaning Oct. 21 after learning about a confirmed case of MRSA. Everything from the tables and desks in classrooms and offices, to handrails, door handles and restrooms were disinfected by a professional cleaning staff, said Principal Yvonne McCarthy.

Disinfectant wipes and a bottle of hand sanitizer were placed in every classroom at Central Catholic, which already had antibacterial soap in the restroom dispensers.

''We wanted our faculty and students to have a level of confidence in their safety, even though the best way to stop the spread of MRSA is through regular personal hygiene,'' McCarthy said.

In the Bethlehem Area School District, a reminder notice was sent to custodial and athletic department staff to make sure they continued disinfecting gym equipment every night, said Kathy Halkins, head nurse for the district. She said the staff uses a special disinfectant recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.

The Southern Lehigh School District is disinfecting every time a new group leaves an athletic room. For the first time, coaches and trainers are wiping equipment down after each use, said Al Baker, support services director for Southern Lehigh.

Health experts said the concern shown by schools is warranted.

''There is clear evidence (MRSA) has increased in the general population," said Dr. Luther Rhodes, chief of the Infectious Diseases Division at Lehigh Valley Hospital.

"Every school should have hand sanitizers and hand gels readily available, alcohol towelets to wipe down computer keyboards and equipment," he said. "And they should be visible and wall-mounted, that everybody has to walk by every day."

Rhodes said one of the reasons MRSA is spreading is there has been a change in wound hygiene. People are less likely today to put an antiseptic on a cut or wound.

"An unattended wound is susceptible to this infection. A kid on a skateboard gets cut and doesn't cover it up. We need to be vigilant about wounds and not tempt fate."

Allentown Health Department Director Vicky Kistler said people get mad when they contract MRSA but don't realize what's contributing to it.

"Kids should be able to play sports and not get sick, but we are lax in our hygiene," Kistler said.

At area schools, nurses and athletic trainers have been told to stay vigilant about making sure students and staff have all cuts, wounds and sores bandaged and covered.

Students where MRSA has hit seem to be well aware of the bug.

"Yes, it's that staph disease that's going around," said Allentown Central Catholic senior Bryan Ayala as school let out Tuesday. "The school is doing stuff to prevent it from spreading. So, I think I'll be OK."

Bertha Ocasio, an Allentown mother of six, said she feels certain that her son Raymond, a Central ninth-grader, is taking precautions to avoid the infection.

"I feel confident," she said. "The school is great about following through and keeping parents and students informed."

So far, school districts said concern about MRSA hasn't reached the panic point. "We are taking it in stride like everything else," Bethlehem's Halkins said. "Practicing normal personal hygiene, that's all people need to do."