| Disease Spotlight |
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MRSA
(Methicillin
Resistant Staphylococcus aureus)
Staphylococcus
aureus,"staph," are bacteria found throughout
our environment and commonly carried on the skin
or in the nose of healthy people. Approximately
25%to 30% of the population is colonized (when
bacteria are present, but not causing an
infection) in the nose with staph bacteria.
Sometimes, staph can cause an infection. Staph
bacteria are one of the most common causes of
skin infections in the United States. Most of
these skin infections are minor (such as pimples
and boils) and can be treated without
antibiotics. However, staph bacteria also can
cause serious infections or invasive infections
such as surgical wound infections, bloodstream
infections, and pneumonia. In the 1960's the
antibiotic methicillin was commonly used to
treat Staph infections. This lead to the
development of strains of Staph-MRSA (Methicillin
Resistant Staphylococcus aureus) that are
resistant to methicillin as well as other
antibiotics such as oxacillin, penicillin,
amoxacillin. While 25% to 30% of the population
is colonized
with staph, approximately 1% is colonized with
MRSA. |
Kane County fact sheet on MRSA in Schools
MRSA
fact sheet
English
MRSA
(SARM) fact sheet
Spanish |
More information
on MRSA at these links:
IDPH
- MRSA
IDPH
- HYGIENE
IDPH
- SCHOOL STAPH PRACTICES
IDPH
- MRSA SCHOOL RECOMMENDATIONS
CDC
- MRSA IN SCHOOLS |
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