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Official: Staph overblown
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Related Topics: Columbia, Md
Columbia, Md (Map, News) - The recent attention given to reported cases of the antibiotic-resistant strain of staphylococcus in area schools has been blown out of proportion, said the Howard County health officer.
“The flu is actually far more dangerous, in general, than MRSA [methicillin-resistant staphyloccoccus aureus],” said Dr. Peter Beilenson.
“The typical flu year kills 36,000 Americans — MRSA maybe kills 18,000 a year.”
This doesn’t even include the thousands who are hospitalized for the flu, he added.
The overwhelming majority of the deadly MRSA cases come from hospitals — not schools — since many people there are elderly, sick and have weakened immune systems, he said.
“It usually comes to a frenzy when a young person dies of an infectious disease that usually affects the elderly population,” he said. Such a case happened at a school in Virginia last month.
With this in mind, Beilenson and two disease specialists with Howard County General Hospital will help allay fears over MRSA, dispel myths and answer questions at a community forum, said Lisa de Hernandez, spokeswoman for the Howard County Health Department.
Staph is a type of bacteria that may cause skin infections which look like pimples or boils. MRSA is a type of staph that’s resistant to some antibiotics, making it harder to treat, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Can MRSA be deadly? Yes. But so are a lot of things,” Beilenson said.
“I think it’s important for health officers to reassure when reassuring makes sense and to warn when warning makes sense.”
Although the flu is more deadly than MRSA, Beilenson said MRSA cases were growing.
“The prevalence of the resistant strain of staph, in part, can be attributed to the overuse of unnecessary antibiotics,” he said.
When antibiotics are used excessively, germs mutate and become resistant to the medication, he said.
Beilenson said he has told the Howard County Public School System that reporting every single MRSA case to the health department was not necessary, unless something suggested a case was serious or a possible outbreak.
“We’re probably not going to be giving out the information anymore,” said schools spokeswoman Patti Caplan. “That had been our traditional practice.”
At the last count, 11 MRSA cases were confirmed in 10 schools, she said.
In Maryland, MRSA is a nonreportable incident, meaning doctors do not have to notify health authorities or schools of cases.
IF YOU GO
» What: Public forum on methicillin-resistant staphyloccoccus aureus
» When: 7 to 8 p.m. Tuesday
» Where: Bain Center, 5470 Ruth Keeton Way, Columbia
jkowalkowski@baltimoreexaminer.com
Comments from Examiner Readers
7:20 AM MST on Thu., Dec. 13, 2007 re: "Officials: Staph an epidemic"
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10:59 AM MST on Fri., Nov. 30, 2007
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10:16 PM MST on Thu., Oct. 25, 2007
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10:20 AM MST on Wed., Oct. 24, 2007
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10:16 AM MST on Wed., Oct. 24, 2007
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5:51 PM MST on Sat., Oct. 20, 2007
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1:43 PM MST on Fri., Oct. 19, 2007
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9:49 AM MST on Thu., Oct. 18, 2007
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8:27 PM MST on Wed., Oct. 17, 2007
re: "Student’s death prompts schools to use stronger disinfectants"
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Virginian said:
Yep! The 'medical authorities' immediately rush out the superlative form - Epidemic! How very liberal. They do not have the facts but have quickly reached a conclusion - Epidemic! Better said, having reached the conclusion the main job is to now avoid and ignore the facts. Good old Public Health - they have a remedy - give us lots of taxpayer cash to continue our phoney scaremongering methods with press releases. The Truth: When the world wakes up to the daily nonsense produced by 'public health authorities' we will have an Epidemic of common sense, well being and more cash to spend on ourselves as we will no longer be paying the golfing green fees of 'public health' idiots. Epidemic indeed!
149 agree | 114 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Your article noted the following: "Virginia, which began in October reporting only the most dangerous variety of MRSA, has recorded 85 cases, three of which resulted in death. The deaths were among people aged 70-80." A teenager in southwest Virginia died from MRSA.
131 agree | 131 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
All public facilities should be required to report MRSA outbreaks in order to track whether it is spreading. If it is left unchecked, the outcome is unimaginable. MRSA can live on surfaces & fabrics for weeks. Public transportation, schools, jails, etc. are all at risk. While washing hands is good hygiene for everyone, our entire bodies are covered with skin, not just our hands. This is a dirty world we are living in.
153 agree | 141 disagree
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Examiner Reader said: said:
how about introducing legislation to curb these gas prices...that's something you could do.....washing hands is commons sense....you don't need legislation for that....
169 agree | 179 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Hey, Lijah, just teach your folks to wash with soap and water occasionally. Most of all your folks up in the House of Reps. Remember, cleanliness is next to godliness.
170 agree | 145 disagree
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jerry said:
Take a shower every day and don't smoke pot.
183 agree | 190 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Third World,here America comes.
200 agree | 166 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
All DC public schools needs to close and clean the schools. You never know.
172 agree | 179 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
HD Woodson High School had a outbreak with one of there students and did not shut down the school, nor did they inform no one but the teacher and staff is walking around with gloves and mask on. My daughter is not return to this school until they do something about this and let us know.
181 agree | 168 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
This outbreak is nothing to play with. My daughter school did not close but the teachers and staff is walking around with gloves and mast on. Why and did not send a letter home stating that someone in the school has it. My daughter is not return to school until they go clean it up. HD Woodson High Schoo. Washington DC.
168 agree | 177 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
They should shut down the schools when 1 outbreak occurs Its retarded if they dont
175 agree | 171 disagree
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Richard H. Clark - middleclass2008.com said:
BAN antibiotics in ALL animal feed. That's the only reason these bugs exist. There have been many studies showing how they revert back to being non-resistant when in an antibiotic-free environment. Problem is with your food... meat, milk, eggs, everything is contaminated with antibiotics. The bugs are only learning to survive in the climate we created.
244 agree | 194 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Cleanliness is next to Godliness.
230 agree | 170 disagree
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victim said:
its happening A LOT in california as well, I got it twice and almost needed my foot to be removed becuase it happened around my ankle. Then my mom got it twice around her waist, then her friends got it. It's spreading like wildfire.
197 agree | 191 disagree
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