Watch CBS News

MRSA Case At Southgate School

Southgate (WWJ) - Officials with Southgate Community Schools tell WWJ that a student at Davidson Middle School likely has Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA.

The district sent pre-recorded phone messages to parents of the eighth- and ninth-graders Wednesday night.

Only one student is affected by the bacterial infection, but he hasn't been in class since being taken to the hospital last week.

The school was sanitized as soon as the MRSA case was detected.  A letter is being sent home with students Thursday, although the letters can be picked up in the office as well.

Here is the content of the letter, obtained by WWJ:

Dear Parents and Guardians,

This letter is to inform you that a student at our school is hospitalized for possible MRSA (a staph infection).  The student was treated by his doctor.  Staph infections are caused by staphylococcus aureus bacteria.  All healthy people have some staph on their skin or in their nose or throat.  Most of the time, the bacteria causes no problems on relatively minor infections.

MRSA is a type of bacterial "staph" infection that are resistant to treatment with usual antibiotics.

The Wayne County Health Department offers these measure to prevent the spread of MRSA:

- Wash hands carefully, several times a day

- Clean shared athletic equipment

- Don't share personal hygiene items such as razors or towels

- Avoid contact with surfaces contaminated by wound damage

- Keep infected areas covered with clean dry bandages

If the student should develop any open sores that are not healing then see your physician for treatment.

Again, we feel this situation is under control, but we wanted to make you aware.  If you have any question, call our school nurse, Pamela Antanosian at 734-991-0044.

Sincerely,

Pamela Atanosian RN

District Nurse

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.