At least eight students have been diagnosed with methicillin resistant staph aureus infections, and a health alert has been sent out to all residence hall students. Administration was notified on Sept. 12 that this may be an issue of concern for the campus.
MRSA, as the staph infection is commonly referred to, is a simple staph infection that is resistant to methicillin or penicillin, according to Penny Cuneo, regional epidemiologist for the Region Three Office of Public Health. MRSA can occur when people do not take antibiotics precisely as directed by a doctor for other infections.
“It is not serious — it is just hard to get rid of,” Cuneo said. “We have to use what we call ‘the big guns,’ and that normally means an IV antibiotic administered at a hospital.”
Every person at Nicholls, or in the world for that matter, has staph as part of the makeup of their epidermis, or top layer of skin.
“Students get staph infections every year; the only thing that makes this unusual is that there are so many at the beginning of the school year and in such a short period of time,” Eugene Dial, vice president of student affairs, said.
Some people are colonized, which means they may have the bacteria but do not show signs or symptoms of having an infection. This bacterium, however, can be transmitted to someone who is not colonized, and they can begin to show the signs and symptoms of the infection, Cuneo said.
The bacteria can lead to different kinds of illnesses such as pneumonia, bone infections and severe life-threatening bloodstream infections. The infections are usually mild, and can be treated with prescribed antibiotics.
“Hopefully, our efforts combined with the students’ efforts will keep the spread to a minimum,” said Gray Bekurs.
Cases of MRSA are most commonly found in hospitals and other healthcare facilities. It is spread by physical contact with infected persons; indirect contact, such as using towels, sheets and sports equipment can also spread the bacteria.
Since some of the infected students are student athletes, custodians will be working in the locker rooms and training rooms cleaning the lockers, showers and floors to help prevent the spread of the bacteria. The custodians should make sure anything students come in contact with will be cleansed, Dial said.
“They (custodians) have verified that the products they are using in the locker rooms and residence halls are anti-bacterial products and that these products kill this kind of bacteria,” Dial said.
Through hand washing and body cleansing using an anti-bacterial soap such as Dial or Lever 2000, the spread of MRSA can be prevented. Sharing personal items such as towels, athletic equipment, razors, bandages and clothing will cause a greater risk of becoming infected with MRSA.
The symptoms include redness of the skin, fever, malaise, headache and a discharge from the wound. The infection may also occur in the urine, causing a burning sensation during urination or frequent urination.
According to the Center for Disease Control, “most staph bacteria and MRSA are susceptible to several antibiotics. Furthermore, most staph skin infections can be treated without antibiotics by draining the sore.”
MRSA can be found in the nose and on the skin of some people without causing any illness. People who have a weakened immune system are more likely to become ill from MRSA. These types of people include: elderly, newborns, those recovering from surgery, drug users that reuse needles, those with skin conditions and women who are breastfeeding. People with diabetes, cancer, lung disease, kidney disease or HIV/AIDS, are also at a greater risk.
If given a prescription, the CDC recommends that the medicine be taken exactly as prescribed; never save old prescriptions for future use and do not take anyone else’s prescription for MRSA.
If someone is concerned that they may be infected, or if students have questions, they can contact University Health Services.