Answer
MRSA stands for methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, a form that has developed over time because of incomplete use of antibiotics. Regular staph is commonly found in the environment, on people's skins and in their nasal passages. A growing number of people in Central Texas may already have MRSA colonies on their bodies. There has been a notable increase in the number of MRSA cases in the non-hospital population in Central Texas since we first started watching it in Seton Family of Hospital emergency rooms in 1995. Texas is one of the southern states that are experiencing significant growth in the number of non-hospital based exposures.
Any contact sport including football exposes players to infection because minor injuries to the skin such as scrapes and cuts provide the staph a point of entry whether from an existing skin colony on the individual or from another infected player. Sweating makes things worse.
The best way to prevent MRSA infections is through good personal hygiene. The most effective practices include thorough and frequent hand washing, hot, soapy showers after each athletic practice or game and not sharing personal items such as towels or shaving equipment. MRSA can survive on sports equipment which is sometimes shared by players. The equipment should be sterilized on a regular basis and it's best for players not to share. There also is a presumption that the equipment drying room is a potential source of infection, so laundering of practice equipment is recommended as well.
MRSA can look like a skin abscess or a pimple that is red and sore at first and usually develops pus. If you have one or more, do not attempt to squeeze or drain yourself. Consult a medical professional. MRSA can only be diagnosed with a laboratory test. Most infections still can be treated effectively.
You can find more information about MRSA on GoodHealth.com. ( http://www.goodhealth.com/articles/2007/10/19/mrsa_in_central_texas)
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