Football Frenzy Over MRSA Staph

Former Cleveland Browns center LeCharles Bentley sued the team last month over a career-ending MRSA staph infection he says he contracted at the team's training facility. Bentley's attorney, Shannon Polk, said Bentley nearly died from the infection while he was rehabbing from a knee injury.

"They told him their facility was the best," Polk said. "But they never told him about a host of unsanitary conditions there. And they never told him about the list of others who contracted staph before he chose to rehab there."

Bentley's knee became swollen, and he was diagnosed with MRSA staph infection shortly after beginning rehabilitation at the facility in July 2006, according to the lawsuit. The Browns had at least six players stricken with some sort of staph infection in recent years, including former receiver Joe Jurevicius, who settled a similar lawsuit with the team in June of this year.

What is MRSA?

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) is a type of staph bacteria that is resistant to certain antibiotics called beta-lactams. These antibiotics include methicillin and other more common antibiotics such as oxacillin, penicillin, and amoxicillin.

How is MRSA Spread?

The CDC states that MRSA infections, as with all staph, are usually spread by having contact with someone’s skin infection or personal items they have used, like towels, bandages, or razors that touched their infected skin. MRSA is not thought to be spread through the air or associated with poor indoor air quality, although poor IAQ can cause other risk factors for infection.

What Can Athletes Do to Prevent MRSA?

The CDC offers the following prevention steps for football players as well as other athletes - including the high school player and the gym rat:

1. Practice good personal hygiene

•Keep your hands clean by washing frequently with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand rub. At a minimum, hands should be cleaned before and after playing sports and activities such as using shared weight-training equipment, when caring for wounds including changing bandages, and after using the toilet.
•Shower immediately after exercise and do not share bar soap or towels.
•Wash your uniform and clothing after each use. Follow the clothing label's instructions for washing and drying. Drying clothes completely in a dryer is preferred.

2. Take care of your skin

•Wear protective clothing or gear designed to prevent skin abrasions or cuts.
•Cover skin abrasions and cuts with clean dry bandages or other dressings recommended by your team’s healthcare provider (e.g., athletic trainer, team doctor) until healed. Follow your healthcare provider’s instructions for when and how often to change your bandages and dressings.

3. Do not share items that come into contact with your skin

•Avoid sharing personal items such as towels and razors that contact your bare skin.
•Do not share ointments that are applied by placing your hands into an open container.
•Use a barrier (such as clothing or a towel) between your skin and shared equipment like weight-training, sauna, and steam-room benches.

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