DeSoto ISD disseminating information about virus

by Daphne Brown of of DeSoto TODAY

DISD staff and administration are fielding calls from parents concerned about steps it's taking to protect their children from communicable diseases.

The district has become one of many outlets, including the city of DeSoto, sharing information about preventing the spread of Methicillin-resistant S. aureus or MRSA, a bacterial infection that is resistant to common types of antibiotic medications.

The Dallas County Health and Human Services (DCHHS) has issued precautions about the infection. Typically, Community-Associated MRSA (CA-MRSA) infections occur as skin infections, which are described as spider bites, pimples or boils. These infections have been occurring in otherwise healthy individuals including school-age children. DCHHS has investigated cases of CA-MRSA and has found facilities such as school locker rooms, jails, yoga centers, fitness centers and nail salons to be sources of infection.

DeSoto ISD Superintendent Lloyd Treadwell said the district is sharing information with employees and the coaching staff about what needs to happen to prevent the spread of infection.

“Education is the main thing,” Treadwell said. “We're letting our students know not to share things like their combs and towels and to wash their hands regularly.”

Sharon Price, the district's chief operations officer, said the most important thing is to be proactive. The district is working with Jimmy Stephens, the city's environmental health inspector, to disseminate the appropriate information within the district community.

“He has agreed to conduct staff training, and we're working with our custodial and maintenance staff on our routine procedures,” Price said. “We're going to continue doing what we're doing, we're just stepping things up.

“We're being very proactive with what we do,” she said.

The district has not documented cases of the infection, and Price said they are working to keep it that way. She said the district utilizes hospital-grade soaps and sanitizers, continues to pay attention to wiping down benches and other workout equipment after each use and steam-cleans helmets, for instance.

DeSoto School Board member Sharon Sternes suggested the district instruct coaches to have students keep their workout uniforms, such as football pants, at school in order that the coaches may wash them for those students who take their pants home and do not wash them before bringing them back for use with the next workout. Price said the district's head trainer Scott Galloway has distributed information to coaches about the importance of utilizing hot water when dealing with student uniforms.

DeSoto School Board member Don McKinley wanted to make sure the district's public information office was doing its part and providing the most up-to-date information on the website.

“This also might be a great opportunity to utilize our PTA Council and booster clubs to educate our parents, as well as our students,” McKinley said. “Clearly, this is on the minds of our parents, and we can assist them by putting practical advice on the website about what to look for.”

While staph infections are not reportable conditions in Texas, DCHHS spokesperson said it continues to investigate a number of cases reported to the agency either by physicians' offices, hospitals or individuals themselves. This year, DCHHS has received reports of three deaths in the county associated with severe MRSA infections. DCHHS is currently working with area school district nursing administrators to implement control measures related to four laboratory confirmed cases of MRSA infections on several campuses in the county.

“We're currently investigating several reports of MRSA in our schools, however, at this time, these reports reflect typical surveillance numbers as compared to previous years,” Dr. John Carlo, DCHHS medical director, said.

“For the past two years, Dallas County Health and Human Services has conducted active surveillance for MRSA in all area public schools,” Zachary Thompson, DCHHS director, said. “The purpose of the MRSA surveillance program is to collect vital information as to the prevalence of this disease and to help identify potential outbreaks early, in an effort to make schools safer against MRSA.

Starting with the 2006-07 school year, DCHHS sends letters to area ISDs to raise awareness and issue guidance regarding the control of MRSA.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that athletes and children are among the groups who may be at higher risk of contracting MRSA. Factors that have been associated with the spread of CA-MRSA include: close skin-to-skin contact, openings in the skin such as cuts or abrasions, contact with contaminated items and surfaces, poor hygiene, and use of improperly sanitized whirlpools and ice baths.

“DCHHS receives self-reported cases of possible skin infections from teachers and students attending area schools, as well as from the general public,” Dr. Wendy Chung, DCHHS chief epidemiologist, said. “Confirmation that a skin infection was caused by Staphylococcus, however, rather than by some other bacteria, requires bacterial cultures of the wound material. Most of the time, wound cultures confirm a cause other than MRSA,” Chung said.

Preventing and reducing MRSA infections in schools and the community involves implementing interventions to improve personal hygiene coupled with aggressive evaluation and treatment of people with soft tissue injuries and infections. DCHHS offers the following recommendations to prevent the spread of MRSA:

• Keep wounds that are draining or have pus covered with clean, dry bandages;
• Follow your healthcare provider's instructions on proper care of the wound;
• Wash your hands frequently with soap and warm water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, especially after changing the bandage or touching the infected wound;
• Do not share personal items, such as towels, washcloths, razors, clothing or uniforms; and
• Talk to your doctor or healthcare providers who treat you that you have or had a staph or MRSA skin infection.

Athletes, athletic personnel and parents can help prevent and control MRSA infections within the schools and athletic setting by following simple health and hygiene practices. In addition, athletes who participate in sports involving direct physical contact (e.g. wrestling and football) and athletes participating in sports that do not involve direct physical contact, but who share workout areas should follow these health and hygiene practices listed below to help prevent and control MRSA within the athletic setting:

1. Wash hands frequently with soap and water, especially after using any sports facilities.

2. Avoid sharing personal items (e.g., towels, washcloths, razors, clothing or uniforms) that may have had contact with an infected individual or potentially infectious material.

3. Report any suspicious skin sore or boil to your healthcare provider and school nurse immediately.

4. If you participate in sports involving close personal contact (e.g. wrestling and football) shower with soap immediately after each practice, game or match.

5. Non-washable gear (e.g. head protectors), should be wiped down with alcohol after each use.

6. Athletic equipment such as wrestling or gymnastics mats should be wiped down regularly with an antibacterial solution

7. Athletes involved in close contact sports should receive a total body check by the appropriate athletic personnel prior to any game, match or tournament.

8. Individuals with an infection involving drainage (e.g. pus drainage), who are involved in close contact sports, should be excluded from participation in sporting events and practices until no pus drainage is present and the infected site can be adequately covered with a bandage and clothing.

9. Any cut or break in the skin should be washed with soap and water and a clean, dry dressing applied on a daily basis, before and after participation in close contact sports, and after using any sports facilities.

10. Tell your healthcare provider (e.g. primary care doctor or school nurse) and the appropriate athletic personnel if you currently have or have had a history of an antibiotic-resistant staph skin infection(s).

There are many steps that you can take to prevent the spread of CA-MRSA. DCHHS has developed guidelines for preventing the spread of CA-MRSA, as well as public education materials for the public's use. A copy of the DCHHS guidelines and educational materials may be downloaded from www.dallascounty. org/depart ment/hhservices/MRSA.html. If you have any questions, or to report a suspected case of MRSA, call 214-819-1928.

Working together, we can effectively address this emerging health threat, a DCHHS representative said.