Hauppauge High School

Hauppauge High School is dealing with another confirmed case of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (more commonly know as MRSA), less than a year after one of its wrestling stars was in critical condition from the infection.

The Hauppauge School District issued a health alert to parents and students on Wednesday.

“Our district has just been notified that there is a confirmed case of MRSA in the High School,” a letter issued by Superintendent Patricia Sullivan-Kriss stated. “In response to this, the district acted upon protocols developed to help guard against the spread of this bacterial infection including sanitizing instructional areas.”

The school district urged parents to inform the school if their child is infected with MRSA so that they could track it. It also asked parents and guardians to remind students of basic sanitary habits like washing their hands frequently, keeping cuts and scrapes clean, and avoiding sharing personal item or coming into contact with other students’ wounds or bandages.

A similar alert went out in June and in February 16-year-old student and wrestler Nick Mauriello spent almost a month a Stony Brook University Medical Center after he contracted MRSA and a related bacterial infection called Lemierre’s syndrome. MRSA is often transmitted through contact sports.

The infection initially often looks like a rash, boil or pimple, and some patients may develop a fever. It is resistant to many traditional antibiotics, and can be life-threatening if it enters the bloodstream through an open wound. Anyone who believes they or their child might have MRSA should seek medical attention.