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doctors to operate. It’s the first reported MRSA-related death in the state since the start of the school year.
According to a recent study published in the Journal of American Medical Association, an estimated 18,650 people across the United States die from MRSA infections annually. And 92 percent of people who develop invasive MRSA infections face hospitalization.
More than 90,000 Americans are inflicted by the potentially deadly bacteria each year and according to an Associated Press report, MRSA-related deaths may out-number AIDS-related deaths over the next few years.
19 cases in Virginia
Since Oct. 8, nineteen cases of MRSA have been reported in schools throughout Virginia. Ten of the cases have reportedly involved high school football players.
However, Virginia isn’t alone in this fight. Dozens of schools in Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Texas are also dealing with the epidemic.
‘This kind of staph infection is an evolutionary bacteria,” said Ethan Saliba, the Head Athletic Trainer at the University of Virginia. “It has become resistant to standard antibiotic treatment.”
According to the Virginia Department of Health, there have been 12 MRSA outbreaks in Virginia over the last three years.
“We don’t track individual cases, so it’s hard to say how many people have been affected by the disease. An outbreak is a cluster of cases in one area. Typically five or more cases,” said Lucy Caldwell, spokesperson for the Virginia Department of Health. “We typically see more cases around football season because it’s the most popular contact sport. Most cases aren’t life threatening, but they can be. Hygiene is the most important factor. Be sure to cover and clean all wounds to keep yourself safe.”
Email the reporter at sfranklin@timespapers.com
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