MRSA Infection

MRSA and Sport - The Overview

The place of sport in spreading MRSA (mersa infection) is twofold. Sport often creates the small cuts that allow the drug resistant bacteria to flourish inside a wound. The bacteria may have colonised the person in many other contexts but the wound allows the bacteria to move from benign to active. The culture of the changing room with shared facilities, casual use of others towels, skin to surface contact can also make sporting facilities an infection 'hotspot'.

The links below will take you to the new easier to navigate version of this site and over 145 MRSA Sport related stories. Or you can scroll down this page for story summaries in a single page format.

Sport specific news pages
MRSA and Wrestling

MRSA Patient Losowski's back on the ice

Rome Observer - Losowski's back on the ice.

A little over a year ago, 12-year-old Roman Justin Losowski began fighting a mysterious infection that started with an open wound on his ankle. He was diagnosed with what is known as MRSA, a very dangerous and potentially fatal staff infection. The past year has been a roller coaster ride for Justin, his family and the many friends who stood by the Losowski's during this crisis. Things are looking good as of right now and as per Lori's request, we will indeed keep praying that things continue to go well for young Justin. Skate hard kid!

Gym Users Slack Over Hygiene?

Daily Egyptian.

Paper towel dispensers and bottles of cleanser hang in the Recreation Center for people to clean the exercise equipment they use. But in some cases, the cleanser remains unused as the next, unsuspecting students prepare for their workout. An unscientific Daily Egyptian study found that roughly half of the people who work out at the Recreation Center do not use anti-bacterial cleaners to sanitize equipment after they are done exercising. Alexxa Condon, a junior from Joliet studying political science and business administration, said she is concerned about the infections that can be transmitted as a result.

6 Ways to Avoid Infections at the Gym

6 Ways to Avoid Infections at the Gym - On Fitness (usnews.com).

Doctors say the benefits of exercise far outweigh the small chance of acquiring staph or another infection at the gym or in the course of your fitness routine. And, they say, you can take some common-sense steps to protect yourself: * Make sure the equipment is clean. Most exercisers won't have a lot of intimate contact with other gym-goers. But they will use the same exercise balls, spinning bikes, and weight machines. Gyms are supposed to regularly clean off the equipment, but you should take your own precautions. "Emphasize hygiene as much as you can," says Richard Wenzel, chair of the department of internal medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University and expert on antibiotic-resistant infections. Wiping a machine off with a hand towel is not sufficient. Many gyms have their own disposable wipe dispensers. If yours doesn't, you can buy your own wipes; anything with at least 60 percent alcohol is ideal.

Professional Sports Teams Should Use MRSA Screening

Professional Sports Teams Should Use MRSA Screening and Other Aggressive Methods to Prevent Staph Infections - MarketWatch.

"The NFL and other professional sports organizations should be using the most effective tool to protect their players from Staph infections, MRSA screening," says Betsy McCaughey, Ph.D., Chairman of the not-for-profit Committee to Reduce Infection Deaths (RID), whose advisory board includes NFL-team physicians. Today, RID is releasing a new 12-Step brochure that explains how screening and other precautions can eradicate MRSA from a sports team's environment. The brochure is being sent to all NFL teams. Players can be carriers of the MRSA germ without realizing it. The germ doesn't make them sick until it gets inside their body, usually via a cut or turf burn.

Will MRSA change sport choices?

Will MRSA change sport choices? | ZDNet Healthcare | ZDNet.com.

The NFL is going through a rash of rashes. It’s serious. Bacteria resistant to antibiotics, new strains of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) are hitting our favorite athletes. Tom Brady (right), Peyton Manning and Kellen Winslow are just some of the stars laid low. But this is not just about our Sunday heroes. It’s also about your kids and your choices for them. Are they still ready for some football? MRSA is getting nastier because there are now multiple strains of it, and because football is a game where cuts are common. So-called community MRSA is caught in the locker room, then mixes with the nastier type in a hospital when you go in for treatment.

Martial arts MRSA risk

Link: Ask the Doc: The dangers of shin conditioning and MRSA skin infections | MMAjunkie.com.

Is there a downside? You bet. Injuries can include cuts, abrasions, skin infections, stress fractures, ligament and tendon injury and broken bones. The most concerning potential problem is applying this technique to the growing bones of very young children. Fortunately, children are very resilient but not indestructible. As we've discussed before, growing bones have growth plates that do not tolerate injury well. Repetitive trauma from kicking that bag all day can cause the growth plate to close early and stunt growth. Q. What is a "mersa" infection? Is it a big deal? Why are gyms so freaked out about them? A. I dare you to ask Diego Sanchez if MRSA skin infections are a big deal. Go on – I dare you. (Just kidding. Don't do it. That's a bad man.) MRSA (methicillin-resistant staph aureus) is a super-bug (bacteria) that is not susceptible to common first-line antibiotics. The common version of this bacteria (staph aureus) is normally found almost everywhere (check your nose) and usually not a big deal for young healthy people. But due to the overuse of antibiotics, the common version got smart and mutated to a strain that – as you can see – is very aggressive, easily transmitted by contact and hard to treat. Unfortunately, just attacking MRSA with bigger guns (stronger antibiotics) gives it a chance to one day mutate into a Godzilla that we may have no answer for. So as doctors, we would prefer to stop its spread and contain it rather than treat it. Wrestling (including all common grappling styles in MMA, jiu jitsu, etc.) gyms are the perfect breeding grounds and thus ground zero. These facilities are usually kept very warm, have sweaty mats from intense training, and by definition require close sustained bodily contact. In this setting a scrape, pimple or simple hair bump can go bad very quickly. What can we do to protect ourselves? Shower with anti-bacterial soap (Dial) immediately after practice (a bit controversial but currently the CDC standard). Do not wait until you get home. Practice good mat hygiene. The mat and all surfaces, including equipment, should be mopped or wiped down before and after each practice with a mild, diluted Clorox solution (or other appropriate widely available antibacterial cleaning solution) then be allowed to dry thoroughly. Once dry the mat should then be mopped with clean water to remove any residue. Every gym should maintain multiple, readily available dispensers of hand sanitizer and encourage/mandate its use. (If you must ask someone for it, that's not readily available.) Last but not least, develop a fetish about checking your skin for any type of scrape, scratch, bump or insect bite.

MRSA early detection can help

Link: Casa Grande Valley Newspapers Inc..

"...most MRSA infections can be treated even without antibiotics, particularly if they are detected early enough." Compared to the usual aches, pains and bruises he felt the day after a conference football game, Jason thought the sore on his knee was a trivial matter. At first, he assumed it was a pimple or maybe an insect bite. When it was hurting, festering and oozing a week later, he saw his doctor who sent him to the hospital for treatment of MRSA.

Local High School Student Dies From MRSA

Link: cbs3.com - Local High School Student Dies From MRSA.

A Philadelphia public high school student died earlier this week of a confirmed case of MRSA, the school district announced. Saalen Jones, a senior at Martin Luther King High, passed away Tuesday at Albert Einstein Medical Center. Jones, 17, was a cornerback for the Martin Luther King football team. It was not immediately known how Jones was exposed to the bacteria. The following statement was released by the Board of Directors of the Oak Lane Youth Association regarding Jones' passing: "The Board of Directors of the Oak Lane Youth Association would like to pass along our condolences and prayers to the family of Saalen Jones. Saalen passed away suddenly on Tuesday, September 23, 2008. Saalen was a dedicated member of the Oak Lane family, who will be remembered for his fearless and selfless play on the field, and his great leadership and determination off of the field. Funeral arrangements will be posted as soon as they become available."

Don't Skimp On The Gym Because Of MRSA?

Link: Don't Skimp On The Gym Because Of MRSA.

"Trips to the gym, meant to help keep people in shape, should never turn into events that could be harmful to your body," says Dr. Ron Najafi, an expert in antibiotic resistant bacteria. Dr. Najafi believes that surveillance, hygiene, and the will to prevent transmission are the keys to curtailing the spread of MRSA. "People need to educate themselves about MRSA and be familiar with where and how it spreads so they can actively avoid contracting this deadly staph infection," says Dr. Najafi, CEO of NovaBay Pharmaceuticals. NovaBay is a biotech company that has developed a compound, NVC-422, which has shown promise in combating numerous pathogens including MRSA and is being developed to prevent infections in hospitals and to treat eye and skin infections. Dr. Najafi offers the following suggestions concerning how to protect oneself from MRSA at the gym:

Athletes’ superficial skin infection may actually be CA-MRSA

Link: Athletes’ seemingly innocuous superficial skin infection may actually be CA-MRSA.

“In wound management … inspect athletes with suspicious lesions often,” but wear gloves when doing this, Dorshimer said. “When it is not healing in a timely fashion … get more suspicious for the presence of MRSA.” He recommended circling and measuring suspicious lesions and re-measuring them every day to see if they have grown. To encourage draining, cover wounds with warm compresses or open them surgically or with a scalpel. Then manage the athlete with oral or timed intravenous antibiotics, Dorshimer said The antibiotics prescribed should be dictated by the organism’s susceptibility profile from culture results, according to the CDC Web site. Among antibiotics indicated for CA-MRSA, Bactrim (sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim) has shown effectiveness and some evidence suggests chlorhexidine baths alone or in combination with other treatments can help decrease skin carriage, Weber said.

MRSA risk factors for athletes

Link: TheCabin.net ·· High schools on watch for football staph infection 08/10/08.

According to studies of some Texas high schools, football players are two to three times more likely than others to become infected with MRSA, a form of staph infection resistant to common antibiotics. If the bacteria enter a person's blood stream, MRSA can turn deadly. MRSA, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, infections have been found in hospitals for decades, but have become increasingly common in recent years. A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study last year found the bacterium kills nearly 19,000 Americans a year. According to a 2004 study of teams from South Texas including Houston and San Antonio, 73 schools reported 81 MRSA infections in its 10,186 football players. That's a rate three times higher than volleyball players, trainers, managers and coaches in those schools. A similar 2005 study found Texas football players were two times more likely to contract MRSA than those who compete in wrestling. - Advertisement - Football players are at higher risk than those in other sports because football is a group-contact game.

Downey Family's Tragedy Saves A Life

Link: Downey Family's Tragedy Saves A Life - Press-Telegram.

When 17-year-old Downey High wrestler Noah Armendariz died of staph infection last month, his family said they wanted to tell his story to help others. The story did just that. Dr. Tempe Chen, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Miller Children's Hospital, said a woman reading about Armendariz's death in the Press-Telegram noticed her 8-year-old nephew had similar symptoms. She brought the boy to the hospital, where he tested positive for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA - a staph superbug that is resistant to some antibiotics. It was the same disease died from. The boy was treated and is doing fine, the doctor said. "It's good to hear that," said mother, Cynthia Magaña. "That makes me feel good. Even if we can save just one." On Saturday, Magaña and the Downey High wrestling team held a car wash at the school to raise money for Armendariz Armendariz's Armendariz's funeral expenses. He was buried Friday at Rose Hills Memorial Park in Whittier.

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.

US Football Taking MRSA Action

Link: GoErie.com: Defend against MRSA.

It's a fact of football life. Offensive linemen get bloody hands. Scraped and torn knuckles are common when you use your hands to block pass rushers. At Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, linemen used to ignore their wounds or rubbed dirt in them. Now athletic trainers stand nearby, ready to clean the cuts and scrapes, coat them in antibiotic cream and bandage them. It's just one way football is dealing with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, better known as MRSA. "It's a concern. People have to realize MRSA is more prevalent than it used to be," said Gary Hanna, Edinboro's head athletic trainer. "It's not some exotic disease."

Teen Wrestler Dies From MRSA Infection

Link: cbs2.com - Teen Wrestler Dies From MRSA Infection.

A 17-year-old high school wrestler died and another teammate is battling a drug-resistant staph infection Thursday. Noah Armendariz, a student at Downey High School who contracted the infection after returning from wrestling camp in Lake Arrowhead, died Sunday from complications. "He was a very tough guy," Armendariz's older brother told CBS2. "He got big out of nowhere -- got bigger than me. He had the brains. He had the brawn." Armendariz came down with a fever two days after returning from camp last month, and later developed a rash. He was hospitalized after being home for only four days.

Artificial Turf An MRSA Risk

Link: Alameda Sun - The Grass is Always Greener.

In fact, a very thorough exploration of this topic by a concerned young blogger at ProgressiveKid, named Sarah, turned up these facts: "A recent study by the Centers for Disease Control found that athletes who had suffered artificial turf burns were seven times more likely to develop MRSA infection. The reason is partly that the burns open the skin to the opportunity for infection. But many studies, most notably the study conducted by the Journal of Clinical Microbiology in 2000, have found that MRSA survives better on artificial turf than on other surfaces. Specifically, the staphylococcus survives longest, up to 90 days, on polyethylene plastic, which is a plastic used in synthetic turf fibers."

Sports shops buy MRSA cleaning gear

Link: Castlegar News - Your Best source for Local Community News delivered in print or online.

Mallards Source for Sports is the only holder, in the west Kootenay, thus far, of the Sani Sport, a revolutionary machine which sanitizes sports equipment. Dale Donaldson owner of Mallards said the machine can clean ski boots, shoes, fire fighter and RCMP gear or anything that comes into contact with bacteria. Donaldson bought the $15,000 machine because many of his customers had been asking about it. Smelly gear equals bacteria which could and has lead to infections such as methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). This infection, if not treated properly can lead to athletes acquiring serious life threatening illnesses. In 2003 a Pennsylvania football player died from MRSA. An article printed in 2004 in Men’s Health, stated that the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) placed the number of people hospitalized with MRSA annually at approximately 100,000.

Contact Sports an MRSA Issue

Link: Athletes Susceptible to Antibiotic-Resistant Staph Infections.

Adams noted that CA-MRSA most frequently appears as an infection of the skin and underlying tissues, and looks like a pimple, boil or abscess, sometimes with draining fluid or pus. These lesions may be red, swollen, warm and tender to touch. The most widely reported contact sport linking MRSA infections to athletes is football. In fact, football players experience a variety of factors predisposing them to MRSA infections. These include skin injuries that can occur during play, turf burns from artificial turf that can exacerbate skin trauma, and even an athlete’s ingrown toenail can lead to a MRSA infection. One prominent study conducted during the 2003 football season of members of the St. Louis Rams professional football team found eight occurrences of MRSA infection among five of the 58 Rams players – or 9 percent of the team. Adams pointed out that all of the lesions occurred on areas of the skin not covered by clothing or equipment where players had suffered turf burns. The players that experienced the infections were more likely to have a higher body mass index and play the lineman or linebacker position. “Considering all factors, the authors of the St. Louis Rams study concluded that frequent antibiotic use, compromised skin barriers, skin contact between players, close proximity of teammates, and inadequate hand and personal hygiene by trainers and athletes may have contributed to the team’s MRSA outbreak,” said Adams. “In addition, infections found in players from an opposing team suggested that transmission may have occurred during play.” Other studies of high school and college football players concluded that shared facilities were likely responsible for MRSA transmission. In each instance, the main risk factor included more than 10 cuts, abrasions or turf burns. One study found that whirlpool use greater than or equal to two times per week increased the risk of MRSA infection in players with covered lesions; in another study a member of the high school dance team developed MRSA infection – with the only link to the football team involving the use of a shared weight room where the dance team changed into their uniforms before football games. Rugby is another sport that also involves intense physical contact and could potentially expose players to risk factors for contracting MRSA. For example, Adams explained that the limited use of padded equipment in rugby creates the potential for more skin-to-skin contact but also reduces the risks associated with abrasive, shared or unclean equipment. “One report from the United Kingdom found that five members of a rugby team developed large abscesses on the upper areas of their arms, back, neck and face,” said Adams. “Because the MRSA infections developed only in forward players, the investigators concluded that the outbreak probably resulted from sustained physical contact rather than from transmission through shared facilities or equipment.”

Dallas police workout facility reopens after MRSA bacteria scare

Link: Dallas police workout facility reopens after MRSA bacteria scare | News for Austin, Texas | KVUE.com | State News.

A Dallas police workout facility that closed after a city employee infected with the drug-resistant staph bacteria MRSA spent time there reopened Tuesday. Police Sgt. Gil Cerda said the workout and locker rooms at its downtown headquarters were closed Monday as a precautionary measure. There was no evidence that the area had been contaminated, but testing and cleaning were taking place. Officials decided to decontaminate the area for bacteria with a bleach water solution so everyone who uses the facility will have peace of mind that it’s free of the staph bacteria, Lt. Paul Wisdom said. “That room is always kept really clean anyway,” Lt. Wisdom said. “It’s a common area where body fluids, i.e. sweat, is present. We wanted to ensure that people would know it was a safe environment.”

How To Protect Yourself From MRSA In Gyms, Health Clubs

Link: How To Protect Yourself From MRSA In Gyms, Health Clubs.

"There is no doubt that MRSA and other infections can be transmitted without direct person-to-person contact," said Parada, who is also medical director of the infection control program at Loyola University Hospital in Maywood. "Although it's low, it is possible to catch MRSA by using shared gym equipment like free weights or exercise cycles. The first step in preventing the spread of any type of infection is awareness of the possibility." Most MRSA infections occur in hospitals and in other healthcare settings but the number of community-associated cases is rising in the United States, Parada said. Currently, between 5 to 10 percent of people are infected, and it is not known when that number will plateau. "If we were dealing with something that virtually nobody had, then it wouldn't be a big deal," Parada said. "The problem with the MRSA epidemic in the community is you don't know when you're going to touch something that somebody with MRSA touched." Given the conditions, MRSA can survive for hours, even days on the surface of gym equipment and other inanimate objects, Parada said. "All germs' survival depend on if the surface they're on is dry or wet and if the surface is warm versus cold," Parada said. "In general, what's true for most germs is dry germs have shorter lives and wet germs have longer lives." For the most part, the benefits of exercise outweigh the risks of catching MRSA, Parada said. However, there are steps you can take that can minimize your chances of catching MRSA from an inanimate object in a gym. For instance, you should always use clothing or a towel as a barrier between your skin and shared equipment, such as weight-training machines, wrestling or yoga mats and sauna and locker room benches. Also, customers should insist that the gym have antiseptic wipes readily available to be used to clean equipment before and after each use.

Duneland Schools Lead State in MRSA Fight

Link: Duneland Schools Lead State in MRSA Fight.

The Duneland School Corporation, with the purchase of the Sports-O-Zone machine, becomes the first in the State of Indiana to take steps to proactively protect its athletes from the deadly MRSA virus. After a student athlete was hospitalized last fall with a cut infected by the MRSA virus, the school administration moved quickly to insure that all precautions were being taken. Dr. David Pruis, Assistant Superintendant for Operations and Human Relations, brought a recent news story to the attention of fellow administrators. It was about Sports-O-Zone of Elkhart, IN and the machine they developed to kill the MRSA virus on sports equipment. Mark McKibben, Director of Special Services for the corporation, along with Athletic Director, Garry Nallenweg and Head Trainer, Bernie Stento, traveled to Elkhart to tour the Sport-O-Zone facility and see if this was the answer they had been looking for.

Scimeca survives MRSA horror to dream of Wembley

Link: Scimeca survives MRSA horror to dream of Wembley - FA & League Cups, Football - Independent.co.uk.

Dave Jones has never been the type of manager to let emotion govern selection, but even the Cardiff City cynic might allow a bit of the old Cup magic to rub off on his teamsheet for today's quarter-final against Middlesbrough. Some things are meant to be, and Riccardo Scimeca and Wembley does indeed seem like a tearjerker waiting to happen. Eight months ago, the former Aston Villa midfielder feared he would not play professionally again after a routine operation for a groin injury left him with the MRSA virus. Indeed, he was still acquainting himself with the prospect of a life without boots even a few weeks ago. "It's been tough, so tough," said the 32-year old on Friday. "I did wonder, 'Am I going to play again?' There were times when it was hard to get out of bed."

Colorado MRSA wrestler case isolated

Link: The Longmont Times-Call.

The Longmont High School student infected with a drug-resistant strain of staph appears to be an isolated case, principal Rick Olsen said Tuesday. Colorado health departments do not collect data on staph infections, as they do with illnesses such as West Nile virus, and Nisha Alden of Boulder County Public Health said she had not heard of any other cases. “It is something we don’t have a lot of data on,” Alden said. The Longmont High student, who also is a wrestler, was hospitalized Friday and diagnosed Monday with methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, school and district officials said. The student was improving Monday but Olsen had not talked to the student’s mother on Tuesday, the principal said.

Wresting getting bad rap over MRSA?

Link: Focus on hygiene, not wrestling itself / nwi.com.

I am a proud parent of a current high school wrestler and a former high school and collegiate wrestler. I am concerned about the Jan. 4 article regarding skin infections and wrestling. Although it is important for the public to be informed about this issue, this problem is not solely linked to wrestling. This fall there were a number articles and news reports about MRSA found in locker rooms throughout the region. Wrestling was not in season, nor was it implicated as the cause of these outbreaks. This article gives the impression that wrestling is why two boys from Lowell were infected. If the Lowell administration and athletic departments had insisted on strict mat cleaning before and after practices, as well as adhering to skin evaluations daily, these boys might have not had the severe infections they had. This article has placed a bad light on the sport of wrestling, and if not educated enough about protection, control and elimination, this article can inspire unnecessary concerns. Proper hand washing is vital. No sport is immune from potential infectious process spread from person to person.

Wrestler with MRSA allowed to compete

Link: Wrestler with MRSA allowed to compete / QCTimes.com.

Dan Knight is upset that one of his Bettendorf wrestlers competed against an opponent with the MRSA virus Thursday night. Davenport Assumption coach Pete Bush is upset, too, because he said had he known, he wouldn’t have let the young man wrestle. “I would never have done that,” Bush said. “Wrestling is not so important that you put it above the kids. That’s exactly the opposite of what I want to do.” But Knight and Bush confirmed that it did happen. An infected junior at Assumption competed Thursday and pinned a Bettendorf wrestler during the teams’ dual meet, which Bettendorf won 41-31.

Wrestling with the risk of MRSA

Link: Wrestling with the risk of MRSA.

One day after the ultimate contact sport opened its season, a county middle school teacher died from a drug-resistant staph infection, playing into the already heightened awareness of MRSA among the wrestling community. Because skin-to-skin contact is the nature of their sport, wrestlers are some of the most susceptible to infectious skin conditions, especially bacterial infections, according to health officials. Yet Montgomery County Supervisor of Athletics William Beattie has said that since the season began on Dec. 8, none of the county’s 800 to 850 public school wrestlers have contracted methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus — the same bacterial infection that took the life of Hoover Middle School teacher Merry King on Dec. 9.

Coaches step up MRSA prevention

Link: The Gillette News-Record: Local.

“Just don’t share.” That’s one of the first things Tom Seamans tells his wrestlers at the beginning of each season. And it was a particularly salient message this year after cases of the so-called “superbug” have popped up across the country. The Campbell County High School head coach realizes that his athletes are at a greater risk than many others because their sport centers around skin-to-skin contact. * That’s why he doesn’t want them using other people’s towels, razors, soap or any other personal items.

Exercising caution on superbug

Link: Exercising caution on superbug on ChicagoSports.com.

"These infections have always been part of athletics," said Jeff Hageman, an epidemiologist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. "Most of our reports still come from most of the high-contact sports, but they do occur across all sports." Greater frequency of body-to-body contact is thought to put an athlete at higher risk. Football's turf abrasions and wrestling's mat burns are inviting hosts, but they're hardly alone. In major team sports, the list of high-profile athletes affected by MRSA reads like a roll call of champions, all-stars and record-breakers. Former Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa battled injuries and declining production with the Baltimore Orioles in 2005, his first season after leaving Chicago. He endured two stints on the disabled list that year, the first of which sidelined him for 16 games in May with an abscess and staph infection in his left foot. That staph infection was reported as MRSA.

SPORTSMITH Announces Availability of ViraGuard™

Link: PR-USA.net - SPORTSMITH Announces Availability of ViraGuard™ Sanitizing Products for Killing MRSA Virus on Hard S.

SPORTSMITH (www.sportsmith.net), the nation’s largest supplier of fitness equipment parts and fitness training products, announced the availability of ViraGuard™ a line of sanitizing products to kill the MRSA virus on all hard surfaces such as table tops, locker room benches, hand rails, counter tops, table tops and other hard non-porous surfaces in health and fitness clubs. Health Club operators should disinfect all hard surfaces which are non-porous, to aid in the removal of the MRSA virus. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), MRSA is usually transmitted by direct skin-to-skin contact, contact with shared items or surfaces that have come into contact with someone else's infection (e.g., towels, used bandages).

Teen MRSA Survivor Loses Leg

Link: FOXNews.com

A Green Bay teen who had a potentially deadly staph infection is back home after nearly two months in the hospital. Thirteen-year-old DaVonte King landed at Children's Hospital in metro Milwaukee after he got sick following football practice Oct. 1. DaVonte had a bacterial infection known as MRSA and was on life support. In order to save him, surgeons had to amputate his left leg.

We need more research on MRSA and our sports fields

Link: We need more research on MRSA and our sports fields - Athletic Turf.

So, what does CA-MRSA have to do with sports turf managers? The short answer is plenty. There have been claims that CA-MRSA may survive (at least temporarily) in sports fields, including synthetic fields, thousands of which have been installed worldwide this past decade. Most of these fields feature a layer of rubber particles, sand or sometimes a combination of rubber and sand at the base of the poly fibers. The fibers, usually polyethylene, give the field its grass-like appearance and texture. Testing done on natural grass fields and the crumb rubber collected from several synthetic fields in June several summers ago by Dr. Andrew McNitt, associate professor of soil science at Penn State University, failed to discover the presence of MRSA bacteria. But, a recent study by an independent testing laboratory in Midland, MI, confirmed MRSA in the synthetic turf field it tested at a university. The university was unnamed in the report. (Report available upon request.) From a practical standpoint, experienced sports field managers still openly wonder if CA-MRSA can survive on a synthetic field under conditions of intensive sustained use, and under environmental conditions favorable to the survival of microbes

Two North Hills students get MRSA

Link: Two North Hills students get MRSA.

Two students in North Hills School District have contracted methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, according to a letter posted on the district's Web site. The students attend North Hills Junior High School and North Hills Senior High, and both have been treated by their doctors, according to the letter.

Broad Ripple HS student treated for MRSA

Link: WTHR - Indianapolis News and Weather - Broad Ripple HS student treated for MRSA.

student from Broad Ripple High School is being treated for the MRSA staph infection tonight. That student was checked out by a doctor and cleared to return to class Monday, given continued use of antibiotics. The principal at the high school confirmed the case. Workers disinfected the school, and parents received a recorded phone call notifying them of the case.

MRSA cases confirmed in TPS - FOX23 News

Link: MRSA cases confirmed in TPS - FOX23 News.

Tonight there is word of four more confirmed cases of MRSA, the anti-resistant staph infection, in Tulsa Public Schools. The district says a teacher and student at Skelly Elementary, a teacher at Edison High School, and a student at Jones Elementary were all diagnosed with the superbug.

Nixa Schools Report MRSA

Link: News-Leader.com | Local News.

Health experts renewed their warnings about good hygiene after Nixa school officials on Friday confirmed two cases of a potentially dangerous staph infection in the junior and senior high schools. Neither case was related or serious — both were caught early.

MRSA confirmed at Milton Union

Link: MRSA confirmed at Milton Union.

According to a recorded telephone message sent after school hours Friday to parents of Milton-Union middle and elementary school students, the school district has confirmed one case of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA). School was not canceled or dismissed early on Friday, but custodial staff did disinfect the school and all playground equipment, according to the telephone notificiation.

Staph case reported at high school in Richmond

Link: Staph case reported at high school in Richmond | IndyStar.com.

Crews worked to disinfect Richmond High School's locker rooms and gymnasium after a student developed a staph infection, possibly of the same antibiotic-resistant strain blamed for the death of a Virginia student this week. Athletic Director Chris Rodal said the case was "athletic-oriented," and all of the locker rooms in Tiernan Center were cleaned Wednesday night. Student-athletes took their uniforms home to launder them, Rodal said. Richmond Community Schools Superintendent Allen Bourff said other areas of the high school also were disinfected.

Don't panic call over MRSA in Schools

Link: WDBJ7 Roanoke News and Weather NRV Lynchburg Danville | Is MRSA becoming more common?.

It seems every week brings a new report of an area student being treated for MRSA.  While MRSA has been around for more than 40 years, only recently has it been cropping up in places like schools.  But health experts are not sure if it is actually becoming more common. "There is a very much increase awareness. Because we don't keep counts, we don't keep records, it's not a reportable disease.  We can't say if there's been an absolute increase or not.  But certainly the public awareness has increased greatly," says Dr. Katherine Nichols, with the Lynchburg Health Department. While awareness is good because it leads to prevention and treatment, Dr. Nichols says it should not spill over into panic.  Nichols says children are no more at risk for MRSA in school as they are out.  She says parents should not keep them home out of fear.  Instead, her advice is use common sense, keep cuts clean and do not share personal items. "And urge kids to tell their parents if they have anything that's red, painful, oozing, so they can get medical attention right away.  Good communication between the parents and the kids," says Nichols.

MRSA Student Critical

Link: ABC 13 - Update: More MRSA Cases Reported.

That unidentified student is in critical condition right now.  You may recall, when we asked the school system about the case Thursday, they said this case was not confirmed. Ryan Edwards, Bedford County Schools - "It's possible that this could be something else with this child. Along with that infection and that's not to speculate, but we're waiting to see exactly what comes out of that." That student's grandmother tells us they told the school on Wednesday that the senior has the staph infection.

Second case of MRSA confirmed

Link: News 10 Now | 24 Hour Local News | Central New York | Second case of MRSA confirmed.

It's been confirmed. Another student athlete at Liverpool High School has MRSA, a form of a staph infection. A third case is being investigated at the school as well. This all on the heels of last month's infections at Henninger High School. Still, the county health department said it's not an outbreak. "This is not something that people should become panicked about at all. It's a skin infection," said Cynthia Morrow, the Onondaga County Health Commissioner.

Staph infection outbreaks worry schools

Link: Staph infection outbreaks worry schools

RICHMOND — Schools across the region are reporting outbreaks of staph infections, including an antibiotic-resistant strain, prompting officials to issue reminders about the importance of thorough handwashing and other preventive measures. Many of the infections are being spread in gyms and locker rooms, where football players and other athletes — perhaps suffering from cuts or abrasions — share sports equipment, officials say. Staphylococcus aureus bacteria infections generally are not life-threatening. However, the Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strain can be especially stubborn. MRSA, pronounced "mersa," resists treatment with penicillin and related antibiotics but can be treated with other drugs. MRSA got its foothold in hospitals and in recent years has spread to other community settings, including schools. In Virginia, a Newport News high school closed its weight room Thursday after at least four students were infected — at least one of them with MRSA, local school and health officials said. The MRSA patient, a football player, was hospitalized Sunday and released Wednesday.

Staunton River student may show signs of MRSA, some fear

Link: NewsAdvance.com | Staunton River student may show signs of MRSA, some fear.

A Staunton River High School student has been hospitalized with what some worry may be another case of MRSA, an antibiotic-resistant staph infection that often occurs among athletes who share sporting equipment. "We have not received confirmation from physicians that this child has MRSA," Bedford County school spokesman Ryan Edwards said after Thursday's Bedford County School Board meeting.

MERSA at Havelock High

Link: More MERSA - Lifestyle - Greenville, NC.

Havelock High School confirms four students tested positive for MRSA, since school started in August. The school says it sent a letter home Tuesday, warning parents to watch for any signs of MRSA. It's highly contagious and resistant to most antibiotics.

Two Rockbridge County students infected with MRSA

Link: WDBJ7 Roanoke News and Weather NRV Lynchburg Danville | Two Rockbridge County students infected with MRSA.

Rockbridge County is the latest school system to deal with MRSA, which is a serious staph infection. Up until this afternoon, there have only been two confirmed cases. Everything was spelled out in a letter that went home to parents on Friday. The latest victims are both students at Natural Bridge Elementary.

Hospital bacteria beset valleys

Link: Hospital bacteria beset valleys - Roanoke.com.

A bacterial skin infection most often seen in hospitals is becoming more prevalent in the healthy community, according to several local and state health officials. Four cases of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus have been reported at two Bedford County high schools and one Roanoke County high school in the past two weeks. "It is a growing problem," said Bedford pediatrician Dr. Stephen Bryant. "In the hot, sweaty fall days of football practice, MRSA is not unusual." Of the four cases reported in Bedford and Roanoke counties, three of the students were involved in school athletics. Even though the infection is surfacing in high school locker rooms, Bryant cautioned parents not to be alarmed.

New, invasive staph strain a growing school threat

Link: New, invasive staph strain a growing school threat | Dallas Morning News | News for Dallas, Texas | Science/Medicine.

Texas schools this fall have tackled what's becoming an increasingly familiar foe. Outbreaks of contagious skin infections from Staphylococcus aureus have cropped up in Southlake and Flower Mound this school year. Officials in Southlake's Carroll ISD reported a handful of cases of staph infections at Carroll High School. Lewisville ISD officials confirmed that Flower Mound High School also had an outbreak, although the number of cases was not available. "The schools are seeing these outbreaks every year for the last three years," said Dr. R. Doug Hardy, an infectious-disease expert at UT Southwestern Medical Center. "We need to get this issue into people's thinking because it's here to stay."

Five students have MRSA in Beaufort County

Link: WITN - HomePage.

Beaufort County schools now say five students have come down with an antibiotic resistant staph infection, also known as MRSA. Doctors have cleared two of the students to return to school and sports. Four of the cases are students from Northside High School. One of them is from John Small School, which houses 4th and 5th graders.

Two MRSA cases reported at Jefferson Forest

Link: WDBJ7 Roanoke News and Weather NRV Lynchburg Danville | Two MRSA cases reported at Jefferson Forest High School in Bedford County.

Two more cases of MRSA have cropped up in a local high school. The new cases have been identified at Jefferson Forest High School in Bedford County.  Educators sent a letter home to parents yesterday explaining the situation.  Both students who were diagnosed with the infection are receiving treatment.  The school is also being thoroughly cleaned.

Staph infection strikes at KHS

Link: Staph infection strikes at KHS.

Three students at Kingman High School are taking antibiotics for MRSA staph infections as they attend classes this week. Students took home a letter Wednesday advising parents and guardians of the three cases.