Contaminated Surfaces Can Result in Staph Infections for Texas Athletes
Indoor Environmental Consultants (IEC) provides surface testing to identify Staphylococcus aureus and other microorganisms in athletic facilities.
Surface testing services are instrumental for identifying the source of an outbreak, preventing additional infections, and for evaluating the effectiveness of cleaning and disinfection procedures.
Last month KRGV published a report about precautions being taken by administrators at Sharyland Independent School District after a student athlete was confirmed to have an infection caused by Staphylococcus aureus (staph). In response, the school sanitized classrooms, restrooms, the gymnasium, and two field houses.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 30% of people carry Staphylococcus aureus in their noses. Although most of the time it does not cause harm, staph can sometimes cause infections. These can range from minor skin infections to more serious infections that can even be fatal in certain circumstances. This can be especially true in healthcare settings where patients may have a weakened immune system or have undergone medical procedures that make them more susceptible to infections.
Staph infections may include:
- Skin infections such as boils, impetigo, and cellulitis.
- Bacteremia or sepsis when the bacteria spread to the bloodstream.
- Pneumonia, which predominantly affects people with underlying lung disease.
- Endocarditis, which can lead to heart failure or stroke.
- Osteomyelitis, which can be caused by staph bacteria traveling in the bloodstream or put there by direct contact following trauma.
Staph bacteria can also become resistant to certain antibiotics. These drug-resistant infections include:
- Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
- Vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (VISA)
- Vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA)
“Person to person contact and contaminated surfaces can easily spread staph,” said Hollis L. Horner, President of Indoor Environmental Consultants, Inc. “It is not uncommon for athletes to develop staph skin infections so surface cleaning and disinfection procedures are vital. At IEC we offer surface testing services to identify the presence of Staphylococcus aureus and other pathogens. These services are instrumental for identifying the source of an outbreak, preventing additional infections, and for evaluating the effectiveness of cleaning and disinfection procedures.”
To learn more about this or IEC’s other building science, environmental, occupational, and indoor air quality (IAQ) services, please visit www.iecinc.net, email ncancino@iecinc.net or call (877) 432-8378.
About Indoor Environmental Consultants, Inc.
IEC began operations in 2001 with some of the nation’s most seasoned professional indoor air quality consultants who already had over 70 years of combined experience. The indoor environmental quality firm specializes in field investigations and assessments of commercial, institutional and residential buildings. Their services, related to fungal (mold), chemical, bacterial, asbestos and particulate pollutants, are offered throughout Texas, the Gulf Coast and the Southwest. IEC is licensed by the Texas Department of State Health Services as a mold assessment company (ACO0114) and an asbestos consultant agency (100329).
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Staph Infections- Contact Information
- Paul Cochrane
- President
- Cochrane & Associates, LLC
- Contact via E-mail
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