An Ounce of Prevention ...

MRSA Wages War on Schools and Students

2009-12-29T09:46:00.003-06:00

What is MRSA?

Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, shortened to the acronym MRSA (pronounced “Mer-sa”), has been increasing in number for decades, and has recently mounted a full scale assault on our educational system. MRSA, as the name implies, is a Staph bacterium that has mutated to build up a resistance to methicillin and other common antibiotics including penicillin and amoxicillin. Originally discovered in hospitals and sometimes called hospital-acquired MRSA, healthcare-associated MRSA (HA-MRSA) would invade patients that had come to the hospital for an illness or injury. Now it is known to attack wherever groups of sick or injured people with weakened immune systems may be found, namely nursing homes, same-day surgery centers, and dialysis centers.

Over time, hospitals began to see signs of another mutation of the Staph bacterium. Where once they saw HA-MRSA with frightening regularity, they now started to see similar signs and symptoms in patients that had no prior hospital stay.

That meant that MRSA had jumped the hospital walls. This new breed, community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA), is an entirely different beast.

Studies have shown that those most susceptible to CA-MRSA tend to congregate in small, enclosed areas- places such as military barracks, prisons, dorms—and schools. There are two main reasons for this: 1) people are in close vicinity and therefore close physical contact, and 2) MRSA is a bacterium that can live on surfaces for up to 90 days. These reasons account for the two of the most common transmission scenarios for MRSA: skin-to-skin and skin-to-surface-to-skin.

Statistics

• School athletes tend to have the highest rate of CA-MRSA acquisition, especially those involved in high physical-contact sports such as wrestling and football. Cases have also been reported among athletes in other sports such as soccer, basketball, field hockey, rowing, martial arts, baseball—even fencing. This correlation is due to the close contact of players either on the field or off, high potential for abrasions or other injuries, the use of shared equipment, and showering conditions.
• MRSA is now the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. Fatalities due to MRSA have exceeded those due to AIDS annually.
• The average age of HA-MRSA is 68; for CA-MRSA, the large amount of MRSA cases in schools drop the average age to only 25 years old.

Signs and Symptoms of MRSA

The initial signs of a MRSA infection can be deceiving, as they may resemble other, less serious conditions. If you see any of the following, you may want to visit your physician:
• Red bumps that look like pimples, a boil, or a spider bite
• Pus-filled or draining red bump or open wound
• An abscess- a tender open or closed cavity surrounded by inflamed tissue and often filled with pus
• Swollen, painful area of the skin

MRSA is a bacterium that will continue to grow and spread throughout the body via the blood stream. Once this occurs it can lead to pneumonia, organ failure, and eventually death. If the infection spreads to the lungs, you can expect:
• Shortness of breath
• Fever
• Cough
• Chills

If you suspect that you or someone you know has a Staph infection or MRSA, go to the doctor immediately. Be sure to follow their instructions and take all of the antibiotics that may be prescribed to you. Failing to overpower the bacteria with the medicine gives them a tolerance, and eventually a resistance or “immunity” to the drugs. If you do not see improvement within 3-4 days of starting the antibiotics, contact your doctor—the prescribed medication may not be working.

Living with MRSA

Once a MRSA infection is diagnosed, it is very important to make sure the infection does not spread to other people or pets. Disinfection of all surfaces that could be exposed to the bacterium with solutions that are certified to kill MRSA is recommended; follow the instructions on the package to ensure the bacterium is effectively killed. Clothes and fabrics that can harbor MRSA should be washed with bleach and hot water (160°-180°) whenever possible.

Caring for the infected area of the body is an important part of getting well and eliminating the potential of further contamination:
• Always wear disposable gloves when touching the infected area.
• Use enough dressing to completely cover the wound and not let drainage seep out.
• Tape all edges of the dressing to ensure nothing can get in or out of the sides.
• Put all used dressings and gloves in a plastic bag before discarding.
• Wash your hands with soap and water immediately after dressing the wound and frequently throughout the day.

H1N1 and MRSA Link

As more people become infected with the H1N1 virus they also become more susceptible to MRSA with far greater complications. Researchers have discovered MRSA pneumonia -- this is a MRSA infection of the lungs that causes pneumonia and is believed to have a mortality rate of more than 50 percent. This infection appears most commons following an influenza-like illness due to a lowered immune system. Positively, researchers noted that antibiotics can kill the MRSA bacteria if it is caught in time. Knowing the signs and symptoms of MRSA and H1N1 is live-saving; as is infection prevention.

Infection Prevention

As Benjamin Franklin said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” The best way to prevent contracting MRSA and other contagious diseases is to wash hands frequently by using soap and water, instant hand sanitizer, or antimicrobial hand wipes, and to not share personal items like razors, deodorant, or towels.

It is crucial in a school setting to make sure students have access to hand washing items at all times. The Classroom Caddy™ is an infection control unit that contains everything the CDC recommends to defend against the spread of germs. Its revolutionary design brings infection prevention to the classroom by encouraging and promoting good hand (and classroom!) hygiene. The addition of the Caddy to every classroom in the school can help the school achieve up to a 50% reduction in absenteeism due to illness—not just from MRSA, but also from H1N1, the common cold, influenza, and more.

H1N1 in your schools – the best prevention and protection

2009-12-18T14:27:00.003-06:00

Your students’ health is a big deal to you, and it should be a big deal to your school. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius has said that possibly 30,000 to 90,000 deaths, mostly among young children and young adults, could occur within the year. Up to as many as 300,000 may even need intensive care treatment at hospitals. Since the virus was first discovered during the spring, over 100 countries have been introduced to the H1N1 virus causing the classification of PANDEMIC. Vaccines are now available, but are they your only defense?

What is H1N1?

The H1N1 influenza, also known as Swine Flu, is a virus that is unlike any other. Researchers believe that this version of the influenza virus is a mutation or combination of the common Swine Flu (H1N1) and Bird Flu (H5N1) viruses. This mutated virus is the first known multi-specie virus to infect humans. This is a large cause for concern because no prior influenza vaccine was effective against the virus. Also, the pattern of infection is different than what was expected; whereas the common flu virus tends to affect the elderly and young children, the majority of people infected with the H1N1 virus were between the ages of 5 and 24. Additionally, the H1N1 virus continued its rampage well into the warmer months which is inconsistent to the common flu. Lastly, it has been discovered that the H1N1 virus is not contagious via airborne virus particles but instead through physical contact.

How do I protect myself?

The CDC has strongly recommended that the following five groups receive the H1N1 vaccines as soon as they are tested for safety and are available to the public:
• pregnant women,
• people who live with or provide care for children younger than 6 months of age,
• health care and emergency medical services personnel,
• people between six months and 24 years of age, and
• people from the ages of 25 and 64 who are at higher risk because of chronic health disorders such as asthma, diabetes, or a weakened immune system.
With or without the vaccine it is imperative that everyone wash their hands frequently throughout the day. Germs are spread through touch. A person can touch a seemingly clean desk, counter or doorknob and get the virus on the hands, and then a quick rub of the eyes, nose or mouth and it is in their system ready to infect the body. It is that simple, and that is why handwashing is so important. This prevents many germs and viruses from gaining entry to a body, not only H1N1.

How can I protect my children in school?

It is crucial in a school setting to make sure students and teachers have access to hand washing items at all times. The Classroom Caddy™ is an infection control unit that contains everything the CDC recommends to defend against the spread of H1N1 and other potentially harmful germs. Its revolutionary design brings infection prevention to the classroom by encouraging and promoting good hand (and classroom!) hygiene. The addition of the Caddy to every classroom in the school can help the school achieve up to a 50.6% reduction in absenteeism due to illness—not just from H1N1, but also from the common cold, strep throat, common flu, and more.

The Pandemic - and this is just the beginning

2009-07-24T13:43:00.002-05:00

"Authorities in Britain say there were over 100,000 infections in England alone last week, while U.S. health officials estimate the United States has passed the 1 million case mark." (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090724/ap_on_he_me/un_who_swine_flu_chief;_ylt=AltyMFiEFQ0e558VNDvdtVwEtbAF)

"U.S. health officials say swine flu could strike up to 40 percent of Americans over the next two years and as many as several hundred thousand could die if a vaccine campaign and other measures aren't successful."
(http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090724/ap_on_he_me/us_med_swine_flu;_ylt=AvuZk0vssD0lscwQyWfm_xkEtbAF)

We are at the beginning of a worldwide pandemic that has killed over 300 Americans and countless people over the globe. So far the majority of the infections have been mild or have been cleared with the use of the common anti-viral drug Tamiflu. Recently, four cases of Tamiflu-resistant H1N1 Influenza have been reported. As viruses have a tendency of doing, this seems to have a strong chance of mutating -- vaccines will not be ready for distribution until October; meanwhile the virus itself is changing.

This version of influenza is also acting differently than normal in that teens and young-adults seem extremely susceptible to the H1N1 virus -- the average influenza bug tends to be the toughest on the elderly and young children.

We are dealing with something unique and scary during this influenza pandemic. The CDC does not believe that this will be as severe as the Spanish Influenza of 1918; however, they are concerned about a possible explosion of the virus once school resumes and the temperature begins to cool. If this occurs and more and more of the cases are Tamiflu-resistant, we will have a very difficult time controlling the problem!

The mutation of the H1N1 virus is impossible to predict; what we can conclude is that no matter the type of virus the mode of transport and infection is the same. We know that people who frequently wash their hands with soap and water or instant hand sanitizer are less likely to contract a virus such as this. We also know that people who do contract the H1N1 virus are more likely to die from complications from a previous ailment and are more likely to contract MRSA and other harmful issues. Schools need to provide their students and staff the products to protect themselves from this illness. Right now, the best chance is to offer hand wipes and sanitizer as we were previously directed by the CDC. These items and more are available in the Classroom CaddyTM. For more information on this product or anything regarding H1N1 or MRSA please visit http://www.armorhealthcare.com/ or call 888-339-2766.

This One-Two Punch Could Prove Fatal

2009-06-23T15:58:00.014-05:00

We have all heard by now that this flu season was longer than most due to the H1N1 influenza. We have also heard that this coming flu season in the fall has the potential to be much worse than the average season and much worse than we experienced in the spring; again due to H1N1... We have just learned that people who have the flu are more likely to contract a CA-MRSA infection at the same time!

Just a little background information in case you are not familiar with CA-MRSA; that is Community Associated Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. MRSA is a Staph bacterium that has mutated so that commonly prescribed antibiotics do not harm it and it continues to infest a body. HA-MRSA (Hospital Acquired) has been a problem in hospitals for decades because it would infect people (patients) with low immune systems due to illness or surgery while they were in the hospital. More recently people have been reporting similar symptoms without ever having been in a hospital which is the beginning of our CA-MRSA.

Why is this so bad? Influenza + MRSA = Pneumonia! Now I am not saying that every person who gets the flu will also get MRSA, but it is more likely than contracting MRSA sans flu. The reason is that the flu causes sores in the patient's lungs and throat; these sores are how MRSA enters the body and the blood stream. It is at that point that pneumonia is possible, this carries with it "a mortality rate as high as 50 percent among those who contract it."

For more information, please feel free to check out these links:
http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/1692629/new_mrsa_strain_may_be_deadly_for_flu_patients/

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/ColdandFluNews/story?id=4727218&page=1

World now at the start of 2009 influenza pandemic

2009-06-11T16:19:00.003-05:00

It was on the news, it was online, it was in the newspapers, everywhere we looked we learned about the spread of a new virus. H1N1, formerly known as the Swine Flu, was everywhere. There were cases spreading through our states, some fatalities were reported, some schools closed. Then this big news didn't seem so big anymore. People began thinking, "Okay, that was mild, time to get back to normal." Not true.

In the United States alone there were 27 deaths due to H1N1. There have been multiple cases of the virus in all 50 states. 500+ schools closed for a minimum of one week. Now we learn that this is a serious issue - this is a pandemic.

A pandemic does not mean that we have to panic. There is no need to barricade yourself in your home or wear surgical masks; you just have to realize that this is not over and you should be cautious. How? The simplest and best way to avoid contracting a contagious virus like H1N1 is to wash your hand frequently. Hand sanitizers and hand wipes have been recommended by the CDC.

Of course Armor Healthcare has these products that are perfect for school environments. The attached link says that the most effected group of people are young people, people under 25 ... how many of those people under 25 are in schools daily? Schools need to protect this vulnerable age group from getting sick, and it is as simple as providing the products that are in our Classroom Caddy. If this pandemic is anything like the influenza outbreaks of our past, this mild spring outbreak will be nothing compared to the problems we could face in the fall - prevention is the best medicine!

The goal of this blog

2009-06-09T13:41:00.004-05:00

Armor Healthcare is dedicated to creating healthy environments for children to learn and grow without having to worry about germs and getting sick. Yes, we have products that can kill germs and bacteria, but disinfecting a school can only go so far. Their has to be knowledge and information to back up the cleaning. That is where we hope this blog comes into play.

Here are some surprising facts that we have picked up along the way:

~ MRSA can live on surfaces for up to 90 days.
~ 80% of germs are spread by touch.
~ A child can touch 300 surfaces in just 30 minutes.
~ MRSA is now the 6th leading cause of death in the U.S.
~ There have been 27 U.S. deaths due to H1N1.
~ There is a higher risk of getting germs from a handrail than eating a dead bug.

Stay tuned and we will discuss issues that are important to every community and every school in the United States. We are here to learn about and discuss disease prevention. Ben Franklin said it best "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." For more information about Armor Healthcare, please visit http://www.armorhealthcare.com/.