2008 Woodie Awards
Staph infection awareness at BHC
Traci Mitchell
Issue date: 12/3/07 Section: News
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Concerns about staphylococcus infection have been around for years and seemed to only be a problem in long-term health care facilities and hospitals. However, the Texas Department of State Health Services is reporting an increase in the past 12 months in the number of cases affecting the public.
The DSHS Web site warns that a new antibiotic-resistant strain of staph seems to be the greatest concern due to the inability to find an effective treatment.
Schools, day care and athletic facilities have been the primary focus of the DSHS because the risk for contracting this infection is greatest where body fluids, such as sweat, come in direct contact with skin. The DSHS is setting new guidelines for safety and cleaning to protect the public.
Brookhaven administrators began implementing new guidelines over a year ago. Mildred Kelley, Brookhaven nurse, said she works very closely with the athletic department to ensure the latest safety guidelines are met.
"We were ahead of the game," Kelley said.
Realizing that this could be a serious problem, she said she began to address this issue long before this latest scare.
"These warnings bring the infection to everyone's attention," Kelley said. "And it just makes you more cautious."
Kelley said students can do things to prevent contracting the infection. She said simple hand washing is very important and also suggests showering before and after workouts to keep skin free of bacteria that will seek out an open wound.
"It doesn't have to be heavy lifting," Kelley said. "Just a light run on the track can make you sweat."
Students and faculty attending the athletic facilities on campus now have options to better protect themselves.
Don Cockrell, weight room coordinator, said there is hand sanitizer located throughout the workout areas. He said there are antibacterial wipes available to wipe down equipment before and after use.
"We had to get proactive," Cockrell said. "This is nothing new to us. We discussed a plan of action about five years ago when we saw the impact it was having on sports."
Cockrell said the weight room has a rigid cleaning system which involves cleaning equipment after each class and using cleaning solutions throughout the facility that are known to kill most bacteria.
He said students should realize what a serious issue this is and try to protect themselves as well. He said if students observe someone coughing or noticeably ill to take preventative action. According to the DSHS the best protection is hand washing.
The department warns that many people are unaware of how to properly wash their hands.
Their Web site lists hand washing guidelines, which encourage the use of warm water, soap and washing for at least 15 seconds. Students can find more information at www.mrsaTexas.org.
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