Since the death of a 17-year-old Virginia high school student from a drug-resistant staph infection—and a federal report revealed such infections are more common and deadly than thought—the reaction of school officials has alternated between anxiety and downright alarm.

But, if public health officials are correct, the proper response is simply vigilance.

As school leaders will learn in the upcoming issue of School Board News, more and more students and teachers infected with Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are being reported across the nation. And MRSA is deadly, killing nearly 19,000 Americans each year.

But let’s put it in perspective. Influenza—the common flu—kills 36,000 people annually. What’s more, MRSA is treatable, despite its resistance to penicillin and some other antibiotics. Finally, the risks of infection are greatly reduced if students are encouraged to practice good hygiene, such as washing their hands and keeping open wounds covered.

Indeed, public health officials note that, for all the legitimate concerns about this new “superbug,” school officials will learn to cope, just as they did when the first HIV-infected students showed up in schools. As far as MRSA is concerned, infected students can return to school once they’re under treatment, and in most instances, school officials aren't going to have to shut down to disinfect schools.

Amy Garcia, executive director of the National Association of School Nurses, puts it all in perspective: “There are other infections that are easily spread in the school setting, so schools should have policies and procedures in place for dealing with MRSA but also tuberculosis, influenza, and other serious illnesses.”

Del Stover, Senior Editor