Link: 2 students diagnosed with MRSA.
The diagnosis of two students this week with an antibiotic-resistant staph bacteria shows Bowdoin is not immune to the skin infection that is becoming increasingly common on college campuses.
College Physician and Director of Health Services Dr. Jeff Benson said the two cases at Bowdoin were "completely unrelated," but he and others familiar with the situation would not provide specific information on the students, citing health privacy laws.
The two students were diagnosed with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). According to Benson, "more than 90% of the time it’s describable as just an irritation," which was the case with the two students. However, in more extreme cases, staph bacteria can cause serious complications, such as bloodstream infections and pneumonia, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) web site.
The diagnosis of the first student with the infection, a member of the football team, led to the closing of several athletic facilities for cleaning, including part of Farley Field House for half a day and the Morrell Gymnasium weight room from August 31 to September 5.
The reason for the closures was not posted, because "we were trying not to spread panic," said Director of Athletics Jeff Ward. "It’s really possible for people to overreact in situations like this."
