Q&A re: MRSA Preparedness and Prevention at Messiah College

Posted 10/25/07

Background

In recent weeks, there has been significant news coverage regarding the occurrence of MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) at schools, colleges, and universities, in certain regions of the country and in Pennsylvania.

Realizing that Messiah College students, employees, parents, and others may have concerns about how our campus community is responding to this health issue, this communiqué attempts to answer those important questions. Messiah is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of all of those in our college community, and we are taking responsible, precautionary measures to prevent the occurrence of this specific health issue on our campus.

What is MRSA?

MRSA is an abbreviation for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, a type of Staph infection that is resistant to antibiotics such as oxacillin, penicillin, and amoxicillin. MRSA is a version of an every day bacteria that causes pimples, sinus infections, and in rare cases, meningitis and blood infections. Most MRSA infections are skin infections that may appear as pustules or boils which often are red, swollen, painful, or have pus or other drainage. These skin infections commonly occur at sites of visible skin trauma, such as cuts and abrasions.

Almost all MRSA skin infections can be effectively treated by antibiotics and/or the drainage of the infected areas. More serious infections, such as pneumonia, bloodstream infections, or bone infections, are very rare in healthy people who get MRSA skin infections.

How is it typically spread?

MRSA is almost always spread by direct physical contact. It can also be transmitted indirectly through contaminated personal items such razors, towels, sheets, or clothes. You can also get MRSA by coming in contact with sports equipment or surfaces contaminated by the infected skin of a person with MRSA.

How do I protect myself from getting MRSA?

The best ways to protect yourself are by:
• practicing good hygiene (e.g., keeping your hands clean by washing with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer and showering immediately after participating in exercise);
• covering skin trauma such as abrasions or cuts with a clean, dry bandage until healed;
• avoiding sharing personal items (e.g., towels, razors) that come into contact with your bare skin; and using a barrier (e.g., clothing or a towel) between your skin and shared equipment such as weight-training benches;
• maintaining a clean environment by establishing cleaning procedures for frequently touched surfaces that come into direct contact with people's skin.

For more basic information on MRSA visit the Centers for Disease Control web site.

Is Messiah College aware of any current diagnosed cases of MRSA on its campus?

At this time, the College is not aware of any current diagnosed MRSA cases among its students or employees.

 What is Messiah College doing to prevent the occurrence of MRSA infections on campus?

The College has been proactive in taking measures to prevent MRSA infection on campus. Messiah’s health services staff and athletic training staff in particular have established an effective partnership that has led to increased education and prevention among student athletes—a group that is at higher risk of MRSA infection due to increased contact with others.

Listed below are several examples of how the College has helped inform the campus community and helps prevent MRSA infection on campus:

• Messiah’s Engle Center for Counseling and Health Services recently sent e-mail communication to all students and employees giving them the facts about MRSA and reminding them how to protect themselves and others from infection. This information is also available online at the health center’s web site, the students and parents web sites, and the student and employee portals (MC Square).

• Residence Life staff have also been recruited and trained to help educate students in their campus residences and apartments about how to protect themselves against MRSA, and athletic trainers have also been taking an active ongoing role to educate Messiah’s student athletes about MRSA precautions.  

• The Engle Center’s medical staff has a consistent screening and treatment protocol in place for MRSA, which means that they can quickly respond to suspected cases of infection to ensure early detection and treatment. They are also connected through direct communication with local, state, and national health officials who can advise on MRSA-related issues as needed.

• Messiah College uses disinfectant (Quik Fill Omega) that kills MSRA. This disinfectant is used institutionally to clean campus buildings and facilities on a daily basis.

• The College processes its institutional laundry with a cleansing agent that kills MRSA (Advocare), which is automatically added to every load.

• By the end of the week, the College will have added hand sanitizer dispensers at the entrances/exits of its public dining facilities, including Lottie Nelson Dining Room, the Falcon Express, the Union Café, and the C-Store.

 

How would the College respond if a student were to be diagnosed with MRSA?

If the Engle Center were to diagnose a student with MRSA, the medical staff would immediately determine and initiate the appropriate treatment (i.e. antibiotics, wound dressing, etc.). The student would be educated about how to manage their treatment, and how to protect themselves and others from further infection. The medical staff would also assess the appropriate limits of activity or contact that would be placed on a student and notify the appropriate college personnel as needed. The College’s medical staff would also maintain frequent follow up contact with the student to ensure that treatment and containment is effective. If treated promptly and properly, however, most cases of MRSA do not require significant exclusion from routine, daily activities.  

 

Who can I contact at the College if I have additional questions about MRSA?

Questions may be directed to the Engle Center for Counseling and Health Services at (717) 691-6035 or (717) 796-5357.

Sources:  Messiah College Engle Center for Counseling and Health Services and the Centers for Disease Control web site.