- Departments - Safe / Healthy Schools - MRSA Resource Page
- Monroe County schools
MRSA Resource Page
Recently there have been many news reports about bacterial skin infections, called Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), within the school community. MRSA is a type of Staphylococcus aureus (staph) infection that is resistant to some antibiotics and has been around for many years. In the past, MRSA has been found almost entirely in healthcare settings; however increasingly in recent years MRSA has also been found in the community. This includes settings such as jails, certain workplaces, daycare centers, schools, and fitness centers. In the community, most MRSA infections are skin infections. Most of these infections are easily treatable with antibiotics.
It is important to remember that while public health officials have documented an increase in resistant staph infections over the years, the rate of serious life threatening infections is lowest among children. MRSA is not a disease that primarily affects children or the school system and outbreaks of MRSA in schools are rare, except among athletic teams where close person-to-person contact may occur.
Symptoms of a MRSA infection may include pustules or boils which often are red, swollen, painful, or have pus or other drainage. We encourage you to look for signs and symptoms of staph infections in yourself and your children, and to contact your medical provider if you are concerned.
Please contact your school nurse or Sunny Booker, Safe and Healthy Schools Coordinator, for more information at 305-293-1400 ext. 53319.
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Press Release - Sunny Booker, October 19, 2007
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Fact Sheet - Released November 1, 2007
PDF Format
Microsoft Word Format
Additional Links:
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Overview of Community-MRSA - www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dhqp/ar_mrsa_ca.html |
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Podcast: Facts about MRSA - www2a.cdc.gov/podcasts/player.asp?f=6936 |
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MRSA Facts for Schools - www.ct.gov/dph/lib/dph/communications/pdf/ct_dph_mrsa_facts.pdf |
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Guidelines for reducing the risk of MRSA in non-health care situation - www.lapublichealth.org/acd/docs/MRSA/MRSA%20Guidelines.2007.pdf |
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Center for Disease Control and Prevention www.cdc.gov/Features/MRSAinSchools/ |
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Florida Department of Health www.doh.state.fl.us/ |
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National Association of School Nurses www.nasn.org/Default.aspx?tabid=460 |