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MRSA: Protecting student athletes

If you suspect an MRSA infection, what should you do? Content What is MRSA? What does an MRSA infection look like? How does MRSA spread? What can schools do to prevent MRSA infections? What can athletes do to prevent MRSA infections? If you have a skin infection, what should you do? How are MRSA skin infections treated? When can the athlete return to play?

What does an MRSA infection look like?

An MRSA skin infection looks like a boil, pimple or spider bite that may be:

  • Red
  • Swollen
  • Painful
  • Warm to the touch
  • Full of pus or fluid
  • Accompanied by a fever

These infections most commonly occur at sites where the skin has been broken by cuts or scrapes, or on areas of the skin covered by hair, such as the:

  • Back of the neck
  • Groin
  • Buttock
  • Armpit
  • Face

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