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Staph Infections Reported at Schools Across the Country
The New York Times ^ | October 17, 2007

Posted on 10/18/2007 6:09:41 PM PDT by Clintonfatigued

A high school student hospitalized for more than a week with an antibiotic-resistant staph infection died on Monday, as schools across the country were reporting outbreaks of staph infections, including the antibiotic-resistant strain.

The student, Ashton Bonds, 17, was a senior at Staunton River High School in Moneta, Va., and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, was diagnosed in him, his mother said.

Officials shut down all 22 schools in Bedford County for cleaning today in an effort to keep the illness from spreading, after students at Staunton River organized a protest overnight Monday, using text messages and social networking sites. On Tuesday, the student organizers led the Bedford County schools superintendent, James Blevins, on a tour of the Staunton River school to show him the state of its sanitation, particularly in its locker rooms.

Mr. Blevins said at a news conference today that the high school would be cleaned today by a commercial cleaning company, and the county’s 21 other schools would be cleaned by their janitors.

Health and education officials have reported that staph infections, including the serious MRSA strain, have spread through schools nationwide in recent weeks.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: Virginia
KEYWORDS: health; medicine; mrsa; outbreak; publichealth; publicschools; publikskoolz; stahincfections
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To: TruthConquers

The Mt. Lebanon School District, near Pittsburgh, was reporting 10 athletes (football players) infected. This was the largest grouping (in my area) but there have been sporadic reports (various districts) as well. This is much, much more wide spread than being reported (HIPAA).


21 posted on 10/18/2007 7:17:52 PM PDT by PennsylvaniaMom (I do not want people to be agreeable, as it saves me the trouble of liking them. Jane Austen.)
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To: Blue_Ridge_Mtn_Geek

It’s more than a good reason, it’s an excellent reason.

Nobody ever said that homeschool kids weren’t at risk of catching this, but they are far, far less at risk than public school kids. Simply not being in the crowded, unsanitary conditions that exist at schools where they’re touching EVERYTHING that everyone else is makes a huge difference.

You can’t blow off this one as being insignificant.


22 posted on 10/18/2007 7:18:35 PM PDT by metmom (Welfare was never meant to be a career choice.)
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To: who_would_fardels_bear

And yet on TV, you see commercials all the time for sanitized this and anti-bacterial that. Advertisers would have you believe that the biggest threat to your life, liberty, and happiness is a germ and odor free environment. They’re just making matters worse.

At the risk of sounding like I’m in favor of more govt. regulation, they need to be reined in on this.


23 posted on 10/18/2007 7:22:19 PM PDT by metmom (Welfare was never meant to be a career choice.)
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To: maine-iac7; neverdem

I was wondering the same thing about the cleaning. Unless they used steam which wouldn’t result in anti-biotic resistant anything, it seems that the cleaner the environment, the worse the situation is going to become, since it was that that encouraged the growth of the staph in hospitals in the first place.


24 posted on 10/18/2007 7:24:54 PM PDT by metmom (Welfare was never meant to be a career choice.)
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To: Betty Jane

That’s exactly what it means.


25 posted on 10/18/2007 7:25:51 PM PDT by metmom (Welfare was never meant to be a career choice.)
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To: Quix

It certainly is suspicious, in that it appears to be targeting our childern.


26 posted on 10/18/2007 7:25:56 PM PDT by airborne (Proud to be a conservative! Proud to support Duncan Hunter for President!)
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To: I still care
He was saying all this MRSA is coming with these illegal immigrants

Savage is an idiot. Bacteria has always mutated to survive otherwise we would still be using Pen-VK to treat infections. Savage isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer.

27 posted on 10/18/2007 7:26:11 PM PDT by A_Tradition_Continues (THE NEXT GENERATION CONSERVATIVE)
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To: PennsylvaniaMom

I was only citing the states in the article, so further additions are appreciated. When the article said “nationwide”, I wondered how complete their list would really be.

I think it is criminal that the hospitals across this nation have not had to report or tell the public about their infection rates. It would only be hidden more if health care gets nationalized.

Hospitals DO NOT have the right to hide potential risks to patients. Period.


28 posted on 10/18/2007 7:27:14 PM PDT by TruthConquers (Delendae sunt publici scholae)
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To: metmom
Regular household bleach will kill the staph. I agree with you that steam makes great sense.

I am a sucker for those infomercials...and I actually bought a Scuncii Steamer. And I do like it :)

29 posted on 10/18/2007 7:32:28 PM PDT by PennsylvaniaMom (I do not want people to be agreeable, as it saves me the trouble of liking them. Jane Austen.)
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To: lightman
I recall being at a blood safety conference in 1996, at which one of the speakers addressed the development of resistant strains of Staph. At that time, epidemiologists were already becoming alarmed over the increasing prevalence of these highly-resistant MRSA organisms. It was only a matter of time before they became resistant to the last few effective antibiotics. Furthermore, there was little research being conducted into new antibiotics, increasing the risk of future waves of infection.

This isn't a new problem. It's just becoming more obvious to the general population. I really don't think it corresponds to terrorism.

30 posted on 10/18/2007 7:34:30 PM PDT by Think free or die
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To: AZLiberty

The active ingredient is Purel is alchol. It would be very surprising if there were an alchol-resistant bacterium.


31 posted on 10/18/2007 7:43:00 PM PDT by jimtorr
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To: Clintonfatigued

I have to wonder if impacted individuals overused antibiotics in the past.


32 posted on 10/18/2007 7:43:23 PM PDT by GOP_1900AD (Stomping on "PC," destroying the Left, and smoking out faux "conservatives" - Take Back The GOP!)
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To: Clintonfatigued

Financial advice: Invest in Hazmat companies.

It’s going to be a boon business.


33 posted on 10/18/2007 7:45:51 PM PDT by Tall_Texan (No Third Term For Bill Clinton!)
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To: metmom
I was wondering the same thing about the cleaning. Unless they used steam which wouldn’t result in anti-biotic resistant anything, it seems that the cleaner the environment, the worse the situation is going to become, since it was that that encouraged the growth of the staph in hospitals in the first place.

Microbiology of antibiotic resistance in Staphylococcus aureus.

I don't think how clean the environment is will make a difference unless the schools get daily cleaning. That might decrease it. Staph is all over the place.

34 posted on 10/18/2007 8:01:17 PM PDT by neverdem (Call talk radio. We need a Constitutional Amendment for Congressional term limits. Let's Roll!)
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To: Quix
All of a sudden, we have an epidemic?

Not so sudden. More than a year ago, we were given very stern instructions about washing practice clothes and monitoring skin conditions when our son joined high school football. The team Dr. actually made me nervous!

35 posted on 10/18/2007 8:02:48 PM PDT by Dianna
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To: airborne; Dianna

I realize that the illegal aliens are a problem disease wise just normally . . . as well as international air travel . . .

but schools . . . why the schools . . . because families come from all over?

Dianna, thanks for the news that it’s been building as a serious problem. Don’t think that lets the globalists off as prime suspects but it’s somewhat more comforting, I think.

On sum, I think I’m still exceedingly suspicious . . . but then I’m routinely that way toward anything that the globalists MIGHT consider within the goals of their chronically evil strategies and means . . . and bio-warfare is certainly in that category.


36 posted on 10/18/2007 8:13:48 PM PDT by Quix (GOD ALONE IS GOD; WORTHY; PAID THE PRICE; IS COMING AGAIN; KNOWS ALL; IS LOVING; IS ALTOGETHER GOOD)
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To: Clintonfatigued

This has been going on for at least 2 years. I see at least one case a week. Most do just fine. This MRSA bug is still sensitive to oral Clindamycin and Bactrim. Not like the MRSA from Hospitals that require at least Vancomycin. Funny how the MSM acts like it is something new.


37 posted on 10/18/2007 8:20:50 PM PDT by therut
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To: Quix
Am I the only one “paranoid” enough

Yes.

Evening, Quix.

38 posted on 10/18/2007 8:23:12 PM PDT by RockinRight (The Council on Illuminated Foreign Masons told me to watch you from my black helicopter.)
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To: lightman
AQ has strongly hinted that the next wave of terrorist attacks will target schools.

Schools have taken to posting a school resource officer in many districts. Many will easily spot strangers. Mass transportaion in cities, on the other hand is highly exposed. The London Tube was hit becasuse it was such a soft target. The same happened in Japan years ago. Me, I ride my car and tolerate the traffic with talk radio bitching about liberal causes while I stay clear of staph, TB, and anthrax.

39 posted on 10/18/2007 8:31:16 PM PDT by LoneRangerMassachusetts (The only good Mullah is a dead Mullah. The only good Mosque is the one that used to be there.)
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To: RockinRight

Evidently your hostilities and other personality features are still in their usual vigorous form.


40 posted on 10/18/2007 8:40:02 PM PDT by Quix (GOD ALONE IS GOD; WORTHY; PAID THE PRICE; IS COMING AGAIN; KNOWS ALL; IS LOVING; IS ALTOGETHER GOOD)
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