Outbreak of Antibiotic-Resistant Staph in Portage, Indiana
Posted on November 10, 2007
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In Portage, Indiana, two Portage High School students have confirmed cases of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA. Two additional students were sent home on Wednesday, but have not reported back to the school at this time. Portage High School parents were informed of the infections via a recorded telephone message on Thursdsay.
MRSA is a potentially lethal staph infection that causes more United States deaths each year than HIV/AIDS, and claimed the lives of four American children last month in New York, Virginia, Mississippi, and New Hampshire. If caught early, the infection is treatable with some of the less commonly used and more expensive antibiotics available.
The two Portage students are undergoing treatment and have already received medical clearance to return to school. The school district is encouraging good handwashing and hygiene practices, and hand sanitizer dispensers have been placed throughout the schools. Portage High School custodians will maintain their usual cleaning procedures.
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