MRSA in Athletes
Introduction to MRSA
Robert Wennemer
Staphylococcus aureus, often referred to as "staph", is a type of bacteria that is typically found on the skin and/or in the noses of people. Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, is a form of staph that is resistant to the antibiotics that are commonly used to treat infections. Recently, MRSA has become a major problem for athletes due to the transfer of bacteria through person to person contact, which is very common during sports. At one point in time MRSA only infected people in hospitals and other medical facilities that were sick, but a new strain of MRSA and recent trends show that athletes are a main target for the bacteria. MRSA typically results in minor skin infections which appear in the form of boils and sores. These skin abrasions become swollen and painful, and often release some form of drainage. Athletes that play high-physicality sports, such as football and rugby, have a greater chance of acquiring MRSA because athletes face more person to person contact in these sports. MRSA is more common among high school and college athletes than professional athletes because there is a greater concentration on proper sanitation and education in professional sports, but MRSA still has made its way into some professional locker rooms. MRSA raises an important health problem because it can be easily transferred from athlete to athlete if the proper steps are not taken to control it. Once contracted by an athlete, MRSA poses a threat for the entire team.
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MRSA Studies
Several studies in both amateur and professional sports show that MRSA is a problem on the rise for athletes.
A study done by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services of MRSA in Nebraska high schools shows a rise of infection from the 2006-2007 to 2007-2008 school years.
312 Nebraska high schools were surveyed, 271 responded, an 87% response rate.
In the 2006-2007 school year, 12 of the 271 high schools experienced MRSA infections among one or more of their athletes, a 4.4% infection rate. During the 2007-2008 school year, however, Nebraska high schools experienced an increase of MRSA infections. During this year, 39 of 271 high schools saw MRSA infections among one or more of their athletes, a 14.4% infection rate, which is a 10% increase from the previous school year.
Nebraska high schools were then asked about specific athletes from football and wrestling. MRSA incidence per 10,000 wrestlers was 19.6% in the 2006-2007 school year. Numbers rose again during the the 2007-2008 school year, as MRSA incidence per 10,000 wrestlers hit 60.1%, a 40.5% increase. In the case of football, MRSA incidence per 10,000 athletes was at 5.0% during the 2006-2007 school year. During the 2007-2008 school year, MRSA incidence rose to 25.1% per 10,000 football players. This was a 20.1% increase.
Overall, a large increase in MRSA infections was observed in Nebraska high schools from the 2006-2007 to 2007-2008 school years. Infection was especially prevalent in the high contact sports of wrestling and football.
A study done by numerous doctors and published in The New England Journal of Medicine observed MRSA infection among members of the St. Louis Rams professional football franchise.
The study was retrospective as it entailed a nasal-swab survey of 84 St. Louis Rams football players and staff members, testing for MRSA infection during the 2003 NFL season. During the season, 8 MRSA infections were found among 5 of the 58 Rams players (9%) that were tested. All infections developed on areas of the body that are commonly places of turf injury. Linemen and linebacker positions were the most significant category to develop infections, most likely because these athletes encounter more person to person contact than players of other positions.
Methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus, a MRSA clone, was found in team taping gel and whirlpool water samples. The clone was also found in 35 of the 84 team members that were tested (42%).
Sample Section 2
Include some current research in each section.
MRSA Prevention
There are several easy steps that can be taken to significantly reduce MRSA infections:
The Practice of Proper Personal Hygiene
It is very important to practice good personal hygiene. Athletes should wash their hands with soap and warm water frequently to protect against MRSA bacteria. It is important to wash hands before and after participating in sports, sharing weights during work-out sessions, caring for wounds, and going to the bathroom. Liquid soap is preferred over bar soap when washing hands to reduce sharing among individuals. Athletes should also shower immediately following sport-activity. When showering, it is important to not share soap, towels, etc. to prevent the transmission of MRSA. Athletes should also take good care of their equipment and sport clothing, which can be done by regular washing and cleaning of anything that is used during sport-activity.
Skin Protection
Athletes should wear proper gear and clothing to protect from turf and contact injuries that would result in skin wounds. If a person is to receive a skin abrasion, it is important to take care of the wound by cleaning it out and covering it with the proper bandages/tape recommended by the team trainer. One should also check bandages regularly to make sure that they are kept dry. The cleaning and dressing of the wound should be followed until it is completely healed. If athletes receive a skin wound that cannot be covered, it is important to stop from touching the area as much as possible.
Sharing of Items
Items that come in contact with the skin should not be shared by athletes. Such items include towels, soap, razors, personal equipment, clothing, footwear, etc. This will reduce the chance of spreading MRSA. Athletes should also not share creams or ointments that require the use of hands to retrieve from a container. When working out, towels should be placed on benches or bars that athletes need to come in contact with to create a barrier between the individual's skin and the surface. This rule also applies to saunas, locker rooms, etc.
Cleaning
Cleaning one's personal space will also help in preventing MRSA. The use of chemical cleaning products is a good way to keep an athlete's area clean. MRSA bacteria can stay on a surface for weeks at a time, which is why it is important to disinfect regularly. Areas that one should clean include their locker, shower, chairs, room, car, and work-out spaces. A janitor will clean some of these places, but it is important to check and make sure that the area is kept clean. Athletes can also carry alcohol-based wipes to disinfect areas that get dirty on a daily basis, such as dumbbells in a gym or handles in a shower.
Conclusion
Overall paper length should be approximately 2,000 to 2,500 words.
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References
Edited by student of Joan Slonczewski for BIOL 191 Microbiology, 2009, Kenyon College.
