Deadly infection reported among county students
By: Hilary Craig
Four cases of infection by the MRSA bacterium have been reported in the Rockbridge County school system, the News-Gazette reported.
Cindy Crance, an official with the school system who is also a registered nurse, said the cases do not point to an epidemic.
Doctors are blaming the death of a 17-year-old Bedford County high school senior on the drug-resistant form of Staph infection, which is becoming more common.
The student died Monday after MRSA spread to his major organs after a week.
The federal government reported Tuesday that more than 90,000 Americans come down with the potentially deadly infections each year, affecting more people than even HIV.
Until now, the drug-resistant bacterium was isolated to hospitals, but according to CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta, MRSA has become more common in public places such as locker rooms, gyms and poor urban neighborhoods.
Because the bacteria can live on surfaces, prevention primarily involves maintaining good hygiene. Gupta recommended washing hands frequently and disinfecting keyboards and gym equipment to keep the bacteria from spreading.
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