The staff at Suring School educated students about proper hygiene and gave the school a good cleaning last week after three students reported having MRSA, an infection that is resistant to certain antibiotics.
District Administrator Kelly Casper reported three high school football players reported the infection. The first case was reported Sept. 30 and two more on Oct. 6, prompting football practice to be canceled Oct. 6 in order for the locker room, weight room and football gear to be cleaned.
Casper said the custodial staff was already stepping up its cleaning regiment, in anticipation of the upcoming flu season and because a case of viral meningitis was reported in the Coleman School District.
MRSA is short for Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus. According to the Wisconsin Division of Public Health, it is a type of Staphylococcus bacterium that has developed resistance to the antibiotics usually used to treat the infection. It is spread by direct or indirect contact with a person who either has a wound infection, an infection of the respiratory tract or a person who is colonized with the bacteria.
MRSA can result in mild to severe skin and soft tissue infections or more serious diseases such as blood stream infections, pneumonia and toxic shock syndrome. Proper hand washing is regarded as a means to prevent MRSA from spreading.
The three students affected by the infection were cleared by their doctors to attend school. Casper said the district is doing everything it can to educate parents and students about the infection and keep students healthy and attending classes.
Information regarding MRSA was posted on the district’s website and sent home in a letter to parents.
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