Articles
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 is MRSA?
MRSA is a type of staph bacteria that has become resistant to the effects of many common antibiotics. This means that the antibiotics that used to kill the bacteria — such as methicillin — no longer work. This makes MRSA infections much more difficult to treat.
MRSA first surfaced in hospitals, where it often caused serious bloodstream infections in people who were sick with other diseases and conditions. Now there are varieties of MRSA that occur in nonhospital settings. These infections typically affect the skin of otherwise healthy individuals — such as student athletes.
