MRSA Infections 16 times higher among US football players

Link: MRSA Infections Becoming Commonplace Among Texas High School Football Players.

Infection with methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is 16 times higher than the national average among Texas high school football players, according to three studies conducted by the Texas Department of Health Services. MRSA infection rates are higher among football players than among other athletes, perhaps because football players are more likely to get minor skin abrasions when they slide in the turf. A totally of 276 football players in the United States contracted the disease between 2003 and 2005, translating to 517 out of every 100,000. This contrasts sharply with the overall national rate of 32 per 100,000.