Community Acquired Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (CA-MRSA)

I recently heard a lecture from Audio Digest entitled Community-Acquired MRSA: Risks and Management by George C. Mejicano, MD and I thought I'd share the highlights.
Staphylococcus aureus is a normal occurring bacteria that is founded in almost everyone's nose. It can cause numerous infections when spread to the wrong areas or entering small breaks in the skin. Bacteria are very adaptive organisms so exposure to antibiotics has developed strains of Staphylococcus aureus that are resistant to most common antibiotics. Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus or MRSA was originally only found in hospitalized or very ill patients. Now we're finding community acquired that is the general populace getting these infections as well. This is particular interest to the combat athlete as being an athlete is a risk factor for gaining MRSA infections. The reasons for this are multifold and include:

• sharing of towels
  
• not showering immediately after practice
  
• fingernail length
  
• shaving that causes micro-abrasions by which bacteria can enter the skin

It is important for combat athletes to recognize ways to decrease their risk of obtaining an MRSA infection by keeping fingernails short, showering immediately after practice, and using their own towels. It is probably also wise not to shave immediately before practice.
In addition it is important to recognize that if you have an in section not to go back to the mat but rather get it treated. One should be suspicious for MRSA in skin lesions "looking like a spider bite" and then rapidly developing worsened redness, swelling or warmth. It should be noted that products containing tea tree oil have antimicrobial action against Staphylococcus, MRSA or otherwise.

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