School officials: Student may have MRSA

A student at Countrywood Primary Center in the South Huntington district is being treated for a suspected case of the life-threatening bacterial disease MRSA, school officials reported Tuesday in a letter sent home to parents.

The letter stated that the student from the Huntington Station K-2 school is "home being treated effectively under doctor's care." District officials declined further comment regarding the student, citing privacy laws.

Principal Karen Siegel told parents in the note that the district has disinfected the child's classroom, cafeteria, bathrooms and common areas.

"I also want to reassure you that our district has taken a proactive approach to this problem and has instituted measures to help prevent the spread of germs and MRSA," Siegel said in the letter to parents. "Our custodians clean all areas regularly with a disinfectant that is effective against MRSA. Prevention is key in addressing this bacteria. Effective hand-washing, body cleanliness and wound care remain the primary means for protecting ourselves. Early treatment of suspected MRSA cases is important."

Hauppauge High School wrestler Nick Mauriello Jr. contracted MRSA, which stands for Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, after competing in a series of wrestling tournaments last month. No one has determined how he contracted the infection.

Some local legislators have called for stricter regulations requiring cleaning mats beforepractices and some schools and wrestling leagues have purchased sanitation devices that rid mats and shoes of harmful germs after the latest MRSA wrestling scare.