A SCHOOL boarding house has been closed down after two students were struck down with an infection linked to the potentially lethal MRSA superbug.

Angela Daly, head teacher at Cranbrook School, said a decision had been taken to shut and deep clean Scott House, an all-girl boarding house, after advice from the Kent Health Protection Unit.

The two girls are being treated at home for PVL (Panton-Valentine Leucocidin) while nine others, who may have the bug, are waiting for test results.

Only last month, a 17-year-old Kent University students died at Kent and Canterbury Hospital from PVL.

Scott House was closed on Wednesday and all 40 boarders sent home, their possessions removed from the building while it is deep-cleaned.

The five other boarding houses at the voluntary-aided school for 13 18-year-olds remain open.

Mrs Daly said: “We expect to open the boarding house again after next week which is half-term.

“We don’t know the cause, but the symptoms are skin lesions and of the two who were confirmed had flu-like symptoms.”

Staff became concerned when a second case was found towards the end of last week and then other pupils started developing symptoms over the weekend.

Dr Mathi Chandrakumar , director of the Kent Health Protection Unit, based at Preston Hall Hospital, Aylesford, said: “Two cases of Panton Valentie Leukocidin, associated MRSA, have been confirmed among students boarding at Cranbrook School. There are also nine further suspected cases. PVL is a toxic substance produced by some strains of the staphylococcus aureus bacteria.

“All close contacts have been screened, and as a precaution. I have advised that the boarding accommodation in which the two students live be temporarily closed.

“I am pleased to say that all affected students are recovering well. Letters and leaflets about the condition have been sent to all parents, staff and students.”

Information is also available on Cranbrook School’s website.

Blob: The Health Protection Unit provides specialist health protection advice as well as operational support on all health protection matters to NHS trusts, local authorities, community health services, including schools and social services), and the general public.

It is responsible for the surveillance, investigation, prevention and control of communicable disease in Kent.

PVL is a toxin produced by some strains of S.aureus, a common germ that lives harmlessly on the skin or in the back of the nose of one in three people.

It may sometimes cause infections if the bacteria enters the body, for example through a cut in the skin.

It causes boils and abscesses and on rare occasions can lead to more serious infections, such as blood poisoning and a severe life-threatening form of pneumonia.