General

No matter the sport, athletes are prone to five dermatologic issues: blisters, turf burns, athlete's foot, acne mechanica and exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light. Here are some prevention and treatment tips from a dermatologist.

MRSA skin infections are hard to spot, often misdiagnosed as heat rash, razor burn, spider bites, ingrown hair or pimples.  Don't think MRSA skin infections are serious? Ask former wrestler, Chris Bettinski, who almost lost his leg - and his life- to MRSA.

 

.

One of the keys to preventing the spread of the antibiotic-resistant skin infection or "super bug" known as methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is proper identification and treatment of suspicious skin lesions.  The infection often looks like an ordinary skin wound or boil,  which may look harmless but rapidly develops into large abscesses within 24 to 48 hours. Diagnosis is difficult. Treatment with penicillin-related antibiotics is ineffective.

While skin infections, including MRSA, are reported most often in sports with frequent physical contact, skin contact or activities that may lead to the spread of MRSA skin infections may take place before or after participation in a sport with little physical contact.  Therefore, anyone participating in organized or recreational sports should be aware of the signs of possible skin infections and follow prevention measures.

Community-acquired or CA-MRSA is non-invasive, less dangerous than MRSA in hospital setting; no need for parents and athletes to panic.