Courtney Mabeus, The Examiner
2007-10-25 07:00:00.0
Current rank: Not ranked

Prince George’s County -

Prince George’s County Public Schools Wednesday reported its first case of a drug-resistant staph infection that is spreading throughout schools regionwide.

A student at Benjamin Stoddert Middle School in Temple Hills was tested and treated in September and has returned to class, said schools spokesman John White.

Montgomery County Public Schools reported two additional cases, increasing its total to 22, spokeswoman Kate Harrison said.

Bethesda-Chevy Chase and Paint Branch high schools reported cases Wednesday, Harrrison said, while Northwest High School reported a case Tuesday.

Harrison would not say whether the students were hospitalized or what their status was.

Thirteen high schools and three elementary schools in the county have been affected.

The methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has raised concerns across the Washington region following the death of a high school senior in rural Bedford County, Va. last week.

School officials have upgraded disinfectants and are scrubbing common areas daily. County health officials weighed in last week, urging residents to pay closer attention to personal hygiene and to cover any cuts.

A recent medical study reported that more than 19,000 people nationwide died of the infection in 2005, raising concern about the infection.

Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine installed a new state regulation Wednesday requiring laboratories to alert the state when a patient tests positive for a drug-resistant strain of staph infection.

“Our public health community is very concerned about the growing challenge of monitoring and controlling MRSA in both health care and community settings,” Kaine said.

Despite the recent concern about school cases, the new regulation does not alert schools to positive tests, said Jon Almquist, administrator for athletics in Fairfax County, where six athletes have tested positive. There have been no clustered cases.

Prince William County Public Schools has reported 16 cases spread among 13 schools.

Fairfax County, Loudoun County, Manassas City and Alexandria City schools have reported cases of MRSA staph infections and tried to address concerns about the problem.

The D.C. Council is considering legislation to reduce the spread of drug-resistant staph bacteria by starting the fight where the bug is most prevalent — in hospitals.

Kaine said last week there should have been a notification requirement to alert the Virginia Department of Health about the most dangerous staph cases.

Dan Genz and Michael Neibauer contributed to this report.

cmabeus@dcexaminer.com