FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 3, 2007
CONTACT: Chris Boyle, Communications Manager
860.545.9956 or pager 860.220.3569 

"EXPERTS FROM CONNECTICUT CHILDREN’S MEDICAL CENTER OFFER PARENTS SIMPLE PRECAUTIONS TO HELP AVOID THE DANGERS OF MRSA"

HARTFORD, Conn.—Despite the avalanche of news media attention, experts from Connecticut Children’s Medical Center urge parents to remain calm and take simple precautions to avoid methicillin-resistant staphylococcus—more commonly known as MRSA.

According to Peter Krause, MD, CCMC’s director of infectious diseases, community-acquired MRSA is a common cause of skin infections and is usually treated with antibiotics. Dr. Krause said there has been a slow increase in the number of children with community-acquired MRSA being admitted to CCMC over the past several years.

“Although there’s no need to panic, parents should be concerned with MRSA,” Dr. Krause said. “But with frequent hand washing and disinfecting, the risk factors are greatly reduced.”

Dr. Krause added that staphylococcus aureus is a bacterium found in 20 to 30 percent of the noses of normal healthy people and also is commonly found on the skin. While most strains are easily treatable, the more dangerous MRSA strains of the bacterium are more resistant to antibiotics. Symptoms of MRSA include skin irritations that are red, painful and swollen. High fever is a symptom as well. Dr. Krause said to help prevent MRSA, he advises parents to:

• Have their children wash their hands frequently especially before eating, before and after touching wounds or bandages, after using the restroom, and after coughing, sneezing or blowing the nose
• Bath their children daily and dry them off with their own clean towel
• Avoid sharing personal items like towels, washcloths and bar soap—even among family members—if a family member has an MRSA infection
• Wash and bandage all cuts and scrapes

Another concern for parents are the cases of MRSA that are acquired while their child is under the care of a health care institution. High risk patients for MRSA are children with weakened immune systems, or those with frequent hospitalizations. Jennifer Martin, BSN, RN, CIC, is CCMC’s infection control practitioner and said the medical center has had strict infectious control policies and procedures in place since its opening in 1996.

“Just the fact that every patient has his/her own room here helps our infection control practices,” Martin said. “We closely monitor our hand hygiene practices as well the use of medical equipment and the housekeeping practices used to clean every patient room.”

Martin said that any patient with known or suspected MRSA is placed on contact precautions and all visitors and staff must wear gloves and a gown. Another common cause of MRSA is incorrect antibiotic use and not completing the full course of treatment. MRSA is spread by direct contact but does not pose a risk to caregivers as long as the proper contact precautions are taken.

Like Dr. Krause, Martin said practicing hand hygiene is the single best way to prevent the spread of MRSA. And while the number of community-associated MRSA cases continue to rise, Martin said the number of health care-associated cases at CCMC is low and has not increased in the last two years.

More information on MRSA can be found at:
www.dph.state.ct.us
www.cdc.gov/Features/MRSAinSchools/