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Schools Watching Cases Of Drug-Resistant Staph

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 19, 2007

TAMPA - Hillsborough County schools have current cases of the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection being monitored by school nurses, said Warren McDougle, epidemiology program manager for the Hillsborough County Health Department. He said he could not identify the schools or the number of cases.
School nurses are working with families to make sure the students are under doctors' care, he said. The pimples and boils can become highly contagious, he said, and the infection is highly resistant to antibiotics.

'This is not new,' McDougle said. 'Unfortunately, it's getting very common. We are working with the school system and have been for some time.'

District spokesman Steve Hegarty said the district had cases at Durant High School this year and that the students were treated. A case requires doctor verification to be reported, he said. No mass parent notifications had been sent late Thursday. Classes are not scheduled today.

Parents with questions should call their children's schools or the health department, Hegarty said.

Marilyn Brown

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