The Mayo Clinic reports the following risk factors:
-Participating in contact sports. CA-MRSA has crept into both amateur and professional sports teams. The bacteria is spread easily through cuts and abrasions and skin-to-skin contact.
-Sharing towels or athletic equipment. Although few outbreaks have been reported in public gyms, CA-MRSA has spread among athletes sharing razors, towels, uniforms or equipment.
From the Centers For Disease Control (CDC) on preventing MRSA:
-practicing good hygiene (e.g., keeping your hands clean by washing with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer and showering immediately after participating in exercise);
-avoiding sharing personal items (e.g., towels, razors) that come into contact with your bare skin; and using a barrier (e.g., clothing or a towel) between your skin and shared equipment such as weight-training benches.
Tags: CDC, Mayo Clinic, mrsa
