Brandon Twp.- For the second time in three months, a case of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a highly infectious, drug resistant form of staph bacteria, has been reported in the school district.
Athletic equipment and several rooms were sanitized at Brandon High School on Monday night after district officials were notified a student at the school had been diagnosed with MRSA.
Superintendent Tom Miller said the student with the staph infection is a wrestler who is under a doctor’s care. It was unknown how long the student had been ill.
‘We believe he contracted it at a varsity wrestling match (on Jan. 22) at Flint Central,? said Miller. ‘We thoroughly sanitized all the areas the student may have been in.?
The custodial and maintenance crews used bleach and water to disinfect five classrooms the student was in, as well as the cafeteria, weight rooms, locker rooms, and wrestling mats.
All high school parents were notified on Monday and the wrestling coach has contacted the schools that participated in the wrestling meet.
On Oct. 29, a MRSA case was reported in a Brandon Fletcher Intermediate School student.
George Miller, manager for the Oakland County Health Division, said the health division continues to see sporadic cases of the infection typically found in skin wounds that don’t heal correctly; however, it is not on the radar as much because the cases have all been successfully treated.
‘Doctors are doing a better job of identifying them and I think parents are more cautious with cuts and scrapes that don’t heal properly and it gets treated and life should go on,? he said.
George Miller said problems with staph infections often occur because of resistance to antibiotics caused by not following through with a full dose; poor cleaning of wounds, and poor personal hygiene practices in general. To avoid issues, he recommends washing hands thoroughly after using the restroom and before preparing foods, as well as resisting touching wounds.
Details: www.oakgov.com/health.