New staph vacation spot: Beaches

By Rachel Stockton rachels at foodconsumer dot org

The greatest biological mystery this fall may not be whether or not the H1N1 swine flu virus will morph into a suberbug.  In fact, the phenomenon that has researchers scratching their heads has nothing to do with any type of virus at all, but with a bacteria that heretofore has only been found in hospitals:  the Methicillin Resistant Staph Aureus (MRSA) bacterium.

For as long as antibiotics have been in circulation, bacteria has managed to mutate and change to adapt and survive.  Researchers, however, have always been several steps ahead of the game, quickly doing some adapting on their own, coming up with stronger medications.  However, the staph virus has been able to declare somewhat of a victory with the MRSA, which not only attacks the very sick, but also healthy people by infecting the blood and soft tissue.

And, the MRSA has been turning up in the community, something that has only occurred during the past seven years.  Gyms and locker rooms have been vulnerable, and scientists have just discovered a new stomping ground that the MRSA has laid claim to:  beaches.

A team of microbiologists from the University of Washington, Seattle, examined marine water and sand along the Puget Sound; in 9 of 10 beaches, staph bacteria were found.  In 5 of those beaches, scientists found the MRSA.

The MRSA can be deadly; fully 20% of all who contract it expire.  Another 40% develop MRSA pneumonia.  The best course of treatment is the expensive antibiotic, vancomycin; even with the powerful drug, the infection doesn’t go down without a long fight.

The beach connection was initially established earlier this year when a group of researchers found the salt loving organisms on several Miami beaches.
Researchers are quick to say that the existence of the bacteria on the beaches should not prevent  tourists from  enjoying their favorite beachfronts.  However, they do suggest some precautions, such as showering after returning from the ocean.

Also, make sure you cover scrapes and cuts beforehand.  Apparently, people are at a greater risk of exposure in the sand, rather than the water.   If your children dig in the sand, make sure that all of it is washed off their bodies, even between the toes and fingers.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists the following symptoms of a staph infected lesion:

•       Painful
•       Warm to the touch
•       Full of pus or other drainage
•       Accompanied by a fever

 If these symptoms are accompanied by a high fever spike, consult your physician immediately.