At House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform hearing, CDC head Dr. Julie Gerberding said, "This isn't something just floating around in the air. It takes close contact, things like sharing towels and razors, or rolling on the wrestling mat or football field with open scrapes, or not bandaging cuts, to become infected with the staph germ called MRSA outside of a hospital. But MRSA is preventable largely by common-sense hygiene."
The CDC's report comes in the wake of numerous incidences of MRSA infections in schools that prompted the House committee inquiry.
Gerberding told lawmakers, "Should schools close for cleaning if a student gets MRSA? That's not medically necessary. Bleach and a list of other germicides can be used in routine cleaning of areas and equipment where bacteria cluster. There's no need to go in and disinfect a whole school because that isn't how this organism is transmitted."
"How worried should parents be? Some 200 children a year will get serious MRSA, and the vast majority will be treated successfully. Community-spread MRSA is still easily treated by many other routine antibiotics. So wash and bandage cuts, and seek prompt medical care if they show signs of infection," she added.
Staphylococcus aureus which are resistant to an antibiotic called methicillin are referred to as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or MRSA. Many commonly prescribed antibiotics are not effective against these bacteria.
Gerberding said, "Germs will always be one step ahead of our drugstores. Soap and water is the cheapest intervention we have, and it's one of the most effective."
