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Swimmers risk exposure to superbug, study finds

PEOPLE who swim in subtropical waters face a significant risk of picking up the nasty Staphylococcus bug at the beach, a study by the University of Miami has found. So should we be worried?

15 years ago, February 18th 2009 No: 1 Msg: #63367 Delete Edit

Kate Schneider
Kate Schneider

S Posts: 14

Read it here

Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Miami's Miller School of Medicine Doctor Lisa Plano said the risk of “community acquired” Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) at public beaches was very real.

"Our study found that if you swim in subtropical marine waters, you have a significant chance - approximately 37 per cent - of being exposed to staph - either yours or possibly that from someone else in the water near you," Dr Plano said.

"This exposure might lead to staph infection since people colonised with the bacteria carry it into the water with them.

“Those with open wounds or who are immune compromised are at greatest risk of infection.”

Swimmers at subtropical beaches around Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth and Sydney would potentially be at risk of contracting the superbug, the findings suggest.

The first large epidemiologic survey of its kind enrolled the help of over a thousand beachgoers who took jugs into the water with them, spent 15 minutes in the sea, including being submerged three times before collecting five litres of the water surrounding them.

Genetic analyses of the isolated organisms showed most of the Staphylococcus appeared to be harmless strains, but most of the isolated MRSA were likely to be of the more aggressive variety.

Often described as “a worldwide plague”, infections by MRSA are the most common cause of skin and soft tissue ailments in people who go to emergency rooms for care in the US, the researchers reported.

There has also been a significant increase in the number of MRSA notifications in Western Australia as a result of the increasing prevalence of local strains, the Western Australian Department of Health reports.

MRSA is a resistant variation of the common bacterium Staphylococcus aureus, and has evolved an ability to survive treatment with beta-lactam antibiotics.

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15 years ago, February 18th 2009 No: 2 Msg: #63471 Delete Edit

Stephanie and Andras
Stephanie

B Posts: 883

I wouldn't be worried. MRSA has been around for a while, even though it hit the news headlines pretty hard over the past year. It is still mainly a hospital acquired infection (although a lot of that is changing with new hospital regulations and insurance providers not paying for treatment of hospital acquired ailments) and even though it's resistant to the common staph treatments, there are some pretty fierce antibiotic therapies that individuals can still use.

I worked in a trauma ICU at a major hospital for a while, working frequently around MRSA+ patients - I doubt the risk of contracting MRSA from the ocean is very serious if hospital staff stay uninfected working directly with infected individuals.

Compared to the other potential infections someone can get from tropical areas, I would say MRSA is very, very, very low on the list. Take a good shower after you're done with your swim. And swimming in saltwater with open wounds - ouch! Reply to this