Second MRSA Case Reported In Fallbrook

FALLBROOK, Calif. -- In January, a 13-year-old student at Diegueno Middle School in Encinitas died from MRSA, also known as methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus.

That same month, the bacteria spread among employees at the Wild Animal Park and infected a baby elephant.

Then, Fallbrook High School wrestling coach Roye Oliver came down with MRSA.

Now, the latest two cases are also in Fallbrook.

A phone call came into Potter Junior High School Monday morning that a student had a lesion on her leg that was diagnosed as MRSA.

School stayed in session, but intense cleaning began, starting with the new gym.

The floor was cleaned and disinfected, as were the bleachers and even the basketballs.

MRSA is spread by skin-to-skin contact or by touching surfaces that have MRSA on them, health officials said.

A La Paloma School student that was infected last week is back at school, but with a bandage on his arm. Health officials said that would prevent anyone else from getting infected.

The school sent a letter home to parents to inform them of the situation.

Two cases in Fallbrook schools in one week with no apparent connection, and the school district said it had no idea where either student contracted MRSA.

At Potter Junior High, letters will go home to parents and the cleaning will go on into the night.

MRSA is treatable with medication, although it is resistant to many antibiotics, health officials said.

It often presents as sores that look like spider bites or bumps under the skin, or cuts or blisters.

If you think your child might have MRSA, health experts said to call a doctor, and don't ignore it and hope it will go away.

Although it could be deadly, MRSA is not a reportable disease.

Doctors and nurses voluntarily report cases because it is highly contagious.