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Burnin’ up the charts
Women’s Tennis
Thursday, Nov. 1, 2007
TIHE LOQUITUR YOU SPEAK, WE LISTEN
Radnor, Pa.
CABRINI COLLEGE
50 Vol XLIX, Issue 09
www.theloquitur.com
MRSA infects student on campus JAMIE HUFNAGLE NEWS EDITOR JLH729@CABRINI.EDU VICKIE PAPAGEORGE COPY EDITOR
college community by explaining how to treat this common virus. According to Fitzgerald, this is not the first case of MRSA on Cabrini’s campus. Because it is not considered a “reportable illness,”
it has not been announced to the community in past occurrences. “It’s been around for a long time. It’s just the drug resistance that is new,” Fitzgerald said. “It’s absolutely treatable. It’s just a mat-
ter of picking the right antibiotic.” John Cordes, assistant professor of communication, was not alarmed by the recent occurrence. “I think everyone needs to be cautious, but any
VP724@CABRINI.EDU
Recent test results have confirmed a case of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection that has infected a Cabrini student. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Staphylococcus aureus is a bacteria commonly carried on the skin or in the nose of healthy people. MRSA is a type of staph that is resistant to antibiotics called betalactams. MRSA has been known to occur in hospitals and healthcare facilities, but has recently made its way to college campuses and surrounding communities. The recent case has caused some students at Cabrini to be alarmed and become more aware of the possibilities of infection. “I disinfected the whole bathroom in Xavier after I heard about it,” freshman undecided major Mike Dempsey said. College nurse Susan Fitzgerald wants to lessen the concern of the
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VICKIE PAPAGEORGE/COPY EDITOR
The above treatments are used on Cabrini’s campus by college nurse Susan Fitzgerald in order to treat and diagnose cases of MRSA. Because MRSA is resistant to some antibiotics, it is important to find the right medication to treat each individual case.
long-term effects would be minimal or non-existent.” Fitzgerald stressed the importance of keeping your hands clean by washing thoroughly with soap and water, using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, keeping cuts and scrapes clean and covered with a bandage until healed, avoiding contact with other people’s wounds or bandages and avoiding sharing personal items such as towels or razors in order to prevent infections. It is also important to keep an eye on minor skin problems such as pimples, insect bites, cuts and scrapes, especially in children. In the case that wounds become infected, it is important to see a doctor. Skin infections should be tested for MRSA before antibiotic therapy is started since drugs that treat ordinary staph are not effective against MRSA and their use could lead to serious illness and more resistant bacteria. According to health services, the student involved in the recent infection began receiving appropriate antibiotic therapy at the time the culture was taken and has since been cleared by her physician to return to campus.
Mayor cracks down on illegal immigrants LIZ LAVIN DEPUTY EDITOR EAL723@CABRINI.EDU NICOLE OSUCH MANAGING EDITOR NAO722@CABRINI.EDU
Hazelton, Pa., is the battleground in the fight over illegal immigrants. Leading the fight is Hazelton Mayor Lou Barletta. Barletta cites incidents in his town that have led him to become the spokesman for laws cracking down on illegal immigrants. A 6-year-old girl was raped by an illegal immigrant. A young woman’s apartment was broken into by an illegal immigrant and she was stabbed 37 times. An elderly woman feels as though she is a “prisoner of her own home.” She fears sitting on her front porch because she is afraid of getting caught in the middle of an act of violence. Hazleton, Pa. Mayor Lou Barletta listed these incidents
in his city and asked about the victims’ human rights. “No one will ever convince me to let people come here illegally,” Barletta said when asked what he says to critics who claim he is denying illegal immigrants of their basic human rights such as a place to live and work. Tired of waiting for the federal government to take action about illegal immigration and witnessing his small town’s police department, health care system and schools deteriorating, Barletta decided to take a stand. Barletta created an ordinance designed to prevent landlords and local businesses from renting to and hiring illegal immigrants. Landlords and businesses would face heavy fines or loss of their business for breaking the law under the ordinance. In addition, it requires renters to go to City Hall with documents proving they are in the country legally. The ordinance was struck down in July by a federal judge, who wrote: “Hazleton, in its zeal to
control the presence of a group deemed undesirable, violated the rights of such people, as well as others within the community. Hazleton used to be a safe place, an all-American town, where families from culturally diverse backgrounds had coexisted for generations. Barletta said Hazleton has always been accepting of immigrants, but the population of Hazleton has grown 50 percent since 2000 but the income tax has stayed the same. This means that illegal immigrants are not paying taxes but still using services. Barletta saw a change in his city. For the size of the city, Hazleton should be equipped with 60 police officers but has only about half. Ten of the United State’s worst gangs call Hazleton home and therefore, a street crime unit of officers was put into place to identify and track gang members. Ninety percent of gang members are il-
BARLETTA, page 3
LIZ LAVIN/DEPUTY EDITOR
Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta has become the spokesman for laws cracking down on illegal immigrants. Hazelton citizens feel unsafe because of illegal immigrants in their area.