In the community, contact your doctor if you think you have an infection. Early treatment is very important. Show
The prevention of MRSA infections in health care is based upon standard infection control precautions, which include routine practices, and contact precautions as required for all antibiotic-resistant organisms. Steps include, but are not limited to: Source ControlContact precautions should be used with patients with known or suspected infections. It is not necessary to wait for testing to confirm a diagnosis. Use contact precautions (e.g., procedures to prevent droplet or aerosols). Post signs at the entrance to patient area. Single patient rooms may be used with designated toilets and sinks. Separating patients by 2 metres may also be used when a respiratory infection is present. Hand HygieneHand hygiene can be performed with an alcohol-based hand rub or with soap and water. Alcohol-based hand rub is used at the point of care in healthcare settings when hands are not visibly soiled. If hands are visibly soiled, wash with soap and water. GlovingWear gloves when touching blood, body fluids and contaminated items. Remove gloves between patient contacts and clean hands immediately. MaskingWear a mask and eye protection, or face shields, or masks with a visor attachment during procedures that are likely to generate splashes or droplets of respiratory secretions, blood, or body fluids. GowningLong-sleeved cuffed gowns are not routine, but may be needed in specific situations. Follow your organization’s policies. Patient Care EquipmentAppropriate cleaning, disinfection and sterilization of patient care equipment and rooms are important in limiting the transmission of organisms. Equipment may be dedicated to a single patient when possible. Surfaces that are likely to be touched or used should be cleaned and disinfected more frequently (e.g., bedrails, tables, call bells, door knobs, bathroom facilities, etc.). Education of Patient, Families and VisitorsAll people involved should be educated about the importance of the precautions being used to help prevent the transmission of the disease. Hand hygiene is particularly important. Handling of LaundryIn healthcare settings, while care should be taken when handling soiled linen, special handling of linen from patients with additional precautions is not required. When at home, linens, wash towels and bed linens in a washing machine set to the hottest water setting (with added bleach, if possible) and dry them in a hot dryer. Wash gym and athletic clothes after each wearing. For further information refer to Routine Practices and Additional Precautions for Preventing the Transmission of Infection in Healthcare Settings (2107) from the Public Health Agency of Canada. See the OSH Answers on Antibiotic/Antimicrobial Resistance in Bacteria and Organisms for more information.
A healthy workout in the gym should leave you with a feeling of well-being and nothing worse than a duffle bag full of sweaty clothes. It should not leave you with a MRSA skin infection. What is MRSA? MRSA, or “Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus,” is a type of staph bacteria that is, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), resistant to common antibiotics. CDC reports that about two in every 100 people carry MRSA on their bodies, with no symptoms of infection. A MRSA infection may at first be mistaken for a spider bite. It may appear as a bump or infected area on the skin and could be accompanied by a fever. The CDC website provides photos of MRSA skin infections to help the public identify this potentially serious infection. Older people and those with compromised immune systems are most vulnerable to MRSA infection. For that reason, healthcare facilities are the most common environment of MRSA transmission. In otherwise healthy people, however, MRSA infections are usually mild and improve after a few days of oral antibiotic treatment if the infection is sensitive to the antibiotic. Those infections are called “community-associated MRSA,” and are common in environments in which healthy people interact in close quarters; your gym is just such an environment. Within the gym, intentional skin-to-skin contact (e.g., during wrestling and martial arts training) and unintentional skin contact between teammates during practice and competition (e. g., volleyball) are documented risk factors for MRSA transmission, according to a 2008 review of MRSA infection in athletes1. Skin damage during exercise, e.g., mat burns, broken blisters, and other workout related injuries that abrade the skin, represent another common risk factor, particularly if broken skin contacts MRSA-contaminated surfaces. Tips for avoiding MRSA infections at the gym:
A final tip: Keep up the good work at the gym. In the grand scheme of things, the benefits of working out greatly overshadow the risk of MRSA infection. Why not increase your benefits by following these tips? Ralph Morris, MD, MPH, is a Physician and Preventive Medicine and Public Health official living in Bemidji, MN. Bruce Bernard, PhD, is President of SRA Consulting, Inc., and Associate Editor of the International Journal of Toxicology, and lives in Cambridge, MD. Click here to download this article. 1 Cohen, P.R. (2008). “The skin in the gym: a comprehensive review of the cutaneous manifestations of community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection in athletes,” Clinics in Dermatology, 26, 16-26. |