What’s going around…MRSA

Health and education officials have reported that staph infections, including the antibiotic-resistant strain known as Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), have spread through schools nationwide in recent weeks.

As you may know, MRSA is a strain of staph bacteria that does not respond to penicillin or related antibiotics, though it can be treated with other drugs. The infection can be spread by skin-to-skin contact or through sharing an item, like a towel or a piece of sports equipment, that has been used by an infected person, particularly one with an open wound.

These tips will help prevent the spread of MRSA and other infections or diseases:

-Wash your hands. Use soap and water or an alcohol-base hand sanitizer. Experts suggest that you wash your hands for as long as it takes you to recite the alphabet.

-Cover cuts and scrapes with a clean bandage. This will help the wound heal. It will also
prevent you from spreading bacteria to other people.

-Do not touch other people's wounds or bandages.

-Do not share personal items like towels or razors. If you use any shared gym equipment, wipe it down before and after you use it. Drying clothes, sheets, and towels in a dryer -- rather than letting them air dry -- helps kill bacteria.