Aug 18, 2008 5:31 pm US/Eastern
As School & Sports Start, Concerns About MRSA Grow
BALTIMORE (WJZ) ―
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MRSA surfaced in a number of Maryland schools last year.
With the start of another school year rapidly approaching, so is concern about a dangerous form of staph infection.
It surfaced in a number of Maryland schools last year, sickening some students.
Alex DeMetrick reports on what's being done to slow the threat of outbreaks this year.
When Morgan State plays at home, more than the other team is a threat. So is the synthetic grass field, which turned out to be a source for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or MRSA for short.
The superbug is immune to most antibiotics.
"We did everything from disinfecting the locker rooms, the showers, the training rooms and we still had it. But once we disinfected the synthetic turf, we pretty much got rid of it," said Donald Hill, Morgan football coach.
But Hill's team paid the price before the MRSA source was found.
"We had six guys infected with it, and they passed it on and passed it on. We dealt with it the entire season," said Hill.
MRSA infections also flared up on high school teams in Maryland. The bacteria gains footholds in the scrapes and cuts of sports.
Oriole Hall of Famer Jim Palmer has joined Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona to raise awareness about young athletes and their coaches about MRSA infections.
"It almost cost me my right leg and possibly my life, so I'm fortunate to be standing here," said Francona. "We cover the wounds, we clean the wounds, we protect the wounds."
The "Strike Out Infection" campaign also includes athletic trainers, physicians and public health authorities. It's sponsored by Covidien, which manufactures wrappings for wounds.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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