Pubdate: Sun, 26 Dec 2004
Source: News-Enterprise, The (KY)
Copyright: 2004 News-Enterprise
Contact:  http://www.newsenterpriseonline.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1663

STAPH STILL NAGGING AT HARDIN COUNTY JAIL

18 Cases Confirmed Since July

Hardin County Detention Center officials are controlling a staph infection 
outbreak that began at their facility last summer when an inmate 
transferred from another jail brought the infection in.

Medical officials at the jail have diagnosed and treated 18 cases of staph 
since July 23.

The county jail houses an average of 584 inmates per day.

Marilyn Frank, the lead nurse, said she met with the jail physician when 
the outbreak occurred, and they developed a plan for dealing with the 
infection.

"We've done quite well with keeping it contained," Frank said.

Staph can cause more serious infections in other parts of a person's body, 
such as the lungs, bones, joints, heart, blood and central nervous system. 
Those infections are more common in people with certain chronic diseases, 
in people who are having surgery, and in those with a weakened immune system.

Anyone entering the jail with an open wound that medical personnel suspect 
could be staph is isolated and a culture taken.

Frank said protocol calls for an antibiotic to be started before culture 
results are back, just to be on the safe side.

When the infection first appeared, inmates showered every day for three 
weeks with an anti-bacterial soap provided by Hardin Memorial Hospital. 
Cells were cleaned top to bottom with bleach weekly, and good hygiene was 
stressed to inmates.

Cells have returned to being cleaned every other week, Frank said.

With an increase of staph infections appearing in jails and other 
institutions across the state and with inmates coming and going constantly 
at the Hardin County Detention Center, stamping staph out completely is 
going to be difficult, Frank said.

"It's something that's on the increase and it's going to be difficult to 
eradicate it," Frank said.

Hardin County Jailer Louis Lawson said the infection is becoming more 
widespread because of drug abuse. People who use methamphetamine spread 
infection by using dirty needles, Lawson said, and neglect their hygiene 
all together.

"It all comes in from this meth use," Lawson said. "This is where this is 
becoming a crucial, crucial issue for us."

Lawson said the Kentucky Department of Corrections inspects the jail 
regularly. Overcrowding has been noted in the past, Lawson said, but the 
jail has never been cited for failure to maintain cleanliness.

While jail officials actively fight the disease, inmates' families complain 
about conditions at the jail.

Terri Sweeney said her husband, Martin, who is serving a year in prison for 
two assault charges and driving under the influence, became infected when 
other inmates with staph were transferred to the medical ward.

Martin Sweeney was assigned to the ward with a broken leg at the time.

Sweeney noticed he had the infection and told medical personnel, Terri 
Sweeney said, but they didn't do anything for two days. They finally 
isolated him and treated the infection, she said.

Frank said while it is the jail's policy to isolate an in-mate with staph, 
it is possible for someone with staph to reach the general population.

"If they tell us they have a sore, we check it out," Frank said. "If they 
don't tell us, we don't know. It's kind of hard to treat something when you 
don't know it's there."

While Sweeney's family said he actually caught the infection at the jail, 
another Hardin County family said a family member was forced to wrap up in 
a sheet while her clothes and linens were disinfected.

Kay Upton said in addition to having to wear a sheet, her sister, who is 
serving a sentence for driving while intoxicated, was denied more soap and 
shampoo when the supply she was given upon entering the jail ran out.

Upton said since personal hygiene is a way to combat staph, denying soap is 
a bad idea.

Frank said no inmate had ever been asked to wear a sheet while her clothes 
were washed. When cleaning occurs, inmates wash with an antibacterial soap 
and are then issued clean clothes and linens, Frank said.

"We have more than enough uniforms to be able to provide clean clothing for 
them," Frank said.

Frank said soap was available to inmates whenever it was needed.

"If they need a bar of soap, all they have to do is ask a line officer," 
she said.
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