Staphylococcus aureus “Staph” is a bacteria commonly found on the skin or in the nose of healthy people. It is a common bacterium found widely in the environment. Sometimes, Staph bacteria cause infections. In the United States, Staph bacteria are the most common cause of skin infections, causing pimples, boils and abscesses. Rarely, Staph can cause more serious infections leading to pneumonia or blood infections.

Some Staph bacteria have become resistant to common antibiotics, such as penicillin. These more potent bacteria are called “Methicillin-resistant.” In the past, these bacteria were found almost exclusively in hospitals. Recently, “MRSA” is being seen more and more in community settings, and is called community-associated MRSA, or CA-MRSA.

CA-MRSA usually develops as a skin infection such as a boil or abscess. Often, people describe the initial lesion as a “spider bite.” The involved area is swollen and red, painful, and pus may be present. The lesion will often get worse until proper treatment is begun.

The usual mode of transmission of MRSA is direct skin-to-skin contact between an infected person and another individual, often on contaminated hands. Factors related to transmitting staph from one person to another or making a person more susceptible to infection include:
• Poor hygiene, especially lack of hand washing
• Close physical contact and crowded conditions
• Sharing personal products
• Contaminated laundry
• Shaving
• Lancing (puncturing/picking/piercing) boils with fingernails or tweezers
• Activities that result in burns, cuts or abrasions or require sharing equipment
• Intravenous drug use, unsanitary tattoos, and body piercing
• Inadequate access to proper medical care

www.mrsaTexas.org

Exclusion from School

To protect all children from communicable illnesses, students infected with certain diseases are not allowed to come to school while they are contagious. Students should be symptom-free for 24 hours before returning to school.

The guidelines below have been developed for the exclusion of students
who have communicable or contagious diseases. These regulations are
in conformance with the requirements of the local health authority, Plano
ISD administrative guidelines and the board of trustees’ appointed medical
officer.

1. A student with any of the following symptoms must be excluded from
school until such time as the student is free of symptoms, has been satisfactorily treated or submits a signed physician’s statement that he/she is
not contagious.

Temperature of 100.4 degrees or more. Student must be fever free
for 24 hours, without medication, before re-entry.
Pain and/or swelling at angle of jaw.
Undetermined rash over any part of the body accompanied by fever.
Undiagnosed scaly patches on the body or scalp.
Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea. Student must be symptom free for 24 hours, without medication, before re-entry.
Red, draining eyes.
Intense itching with signs and symptoms of secondary infection.
Open, draining lesions.
Jaundice
Lice or nits on shaft of hair, until treatment is verified. (see Lice section below)

2. It shall be the responsibility of the principal to exclude a student because of health problems, in collaboration with the school nurse.

3. The principal or his/her designee will notify the student’s parent or guardian that the student is to be excluded for health reasons.

4. It is the responsibility of the parent or guardian to transport the student from school to his/her home.

5. For readmission, some diseases may require a statement from the student’s physician affirming that the student is not contagious.

Lice

Plano ISD follows the Centers for Disease Control and the Texas Department of State Health Services recommendations, the position papers of the American Academy of Pediatrics and school nurses in the treatment and attendance guidelines for lice re-admittance to school. The scientific evidence supports that exclusion from school for nits alone is not indicated. In unusual circumstances, the Plano ISD Administration and the school principal reserve the right to modify these recommendations during unusual episodes. The best treatment is prevention. Throughout the school year, check your child's hair weekly and after overnight visits with other children. Educate your children to avoid spread of lice by head-to-head contact, sharing hats, combs, brushes, etc. Eggs (nits) not killed by treatments will continue to hatch within 7-10 days. Visible nits should be removed. Old nits must be totally removed to permit early recognition of any new infestation. Read more about lice and treatments:
www.dshs.state.tx.us/schoolhealth
www.dshs.state.tx.us/idcu/disease/headlice
www.headlice.org
www.headlice.org/kids/index

Meningitis Awareness

Information regarding bacterial meningitis is available online from the CDC. The CDC recommends the meningococcal vaccine for all 11 and 12 year olds.

This is current information on the increased risk of meningitis for children who receive cochlear implants.