Although the name is bandied around campus a lot, does anyone actually know what MRSA is? Well boys and girls, MRSA is an acronym for Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus. It is an infection that is not treatable by most antibiotics and is incredibly difficult to say three times fast.
An article by Robert Bertuglia Jr., "Bringing Reason and Common Sense to MRSA Madness," states that about 25 percent of Americans each year are affected in some way by a staph infection, which is the type of infection MRSA is categorized under.
MRSA alone is estimated to prove fatal to 20,000 of those infected.
"It sounds scary, but it is not threatening if treated. We just need to understand how to deal with it," said Anne Pryfogle, nurse director of the health center.
"MRSA is caused by staph bacteria and is not airborne. It is spread only by contact. Someone would have to have an opening or a cut for the bacteria to get in. A wound will become a red, pusfilled, angry-looking boil when infected," she said.
According to head athletic trainer, Charles Goodwin, less than 10 students contracted MRSA at Otterbein this school year and most were treated right on campus.
However, a recent case of MRSA developed into a more severe infection than the school could handle.
In mid-February, athletic trainers had to send freshman indoor track team member Chris Fyock to Urgent Care.
"It started small and progressively got bigger. It infected almost my entire leg. I couldn't walk on it," Fyock said. "I was in the hospital for four days with an IV and antibiotics."
Fyock was allergic to the first two antibiotics given to him, but after seeing a specialist he got back on his feet.
According to Goodwin, this and most MRSA outbreaks are preventable.
"Athletes here at Otterbein know about MRSA and how to prevent it. It is the general population that is not aware. If everybody practiced good hygiene, it could be prevented. MRSA has been around in athletics a couple years now. It is just more prevalent now than five years ago," said Goodwin.
According to Pryfogle, MRSA is highly contagious in workout areas and locker rooms.
Athletes knowing ways to prevent MRSA is a good thing. However, due to the way in which MRSA is spread through contact with infected people and objects, non-athletic students who utilize athletic equipment in the Clements and Rike centers also need to be aware.
From a random sampling of students exercising at the Clements Center, only one out of six students knew anything at all about MRSA.
The Clements Center does take several universal precautions to help prevent outbreaks of the disease.
According to Goodwin, all soap in the building kills MRSA. All towels are separated into different bags and cleaned separately at a certain temperature. As a further precaution, waterless hand cleaner is available.
Students are encouraged to help stop the spread of the disease as well by using spray bottles to clean surfaces of weights and gym equipment after use. Fliers informing students about MRSA are also posted throughout the building.
Again, a very small number of students who were asked about MRSA remember seeing fliers and none of them could point out any at the time.
Educational materials also were sent to all residences on campus.
"All I know is that MRSA is a type of infection and it's not good," said Chris Hempfling, hall director for Davis Complex.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said it is not necessary to inform an entire school community about a single MRSA infection.
Schools are required to refer MRSA-stricken students to a licensed health care provider.
On the other hand, education is strongly encouraged as a preventative measure, along with careful attention to hygiene.
Bertuglia's article stresses that awareness of outbreaks and regular communication about MRSA is key to prevention.
MRSA FACTS
TRANSMISSION:
Direct contact with an infected area of skin or object.
PROTECTION:
Good hygiene
Washing and bandaging skin abrasions
Not sharing personal items
Placing a barrier (i.e. towel, shirt) between skin and possible place of infection (i.e. weight training bench).
DISINFECTION:
Schools are not required to shut down in order to disinfect for isolated MRSA outbreaks.
t&c;
