In an educational partnership (2008 Memo) with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the NCAA has supplied each member campus with six posters addressing proper hygiene and wound practices targeted at reducing the risk of infectious disease transmission, particularly involving methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). These posters and other materials can be found at the NCAA and CDC web sites.
There is much concern about the presence and spread of MRSA in intercollegiate athletics across sports. Cases are more common among athletes due to open wounds, poor hygiene practices, close physical contact, and the sharing of towels and equipment. Institutions and conferences should continue efforts and support for the education of staff and student-athletes on the importance of proper hygiene and wound care to prevent skin infections from developing and infectious diseases from being transmitted.
Individual cases of MRSA are not reportable; however, health care providers should recognize outbreaks of skin infections and report them to the local/state health department. Most states have laws that require reporting of certain communicable diseases including outbreaks regardless of pathogens.
Additional resources available at NCAA.org include guidelines in the NCAA Sports Medicine Handbook; the NCAA Wrestling Rules Book accompanied by a 15-minute on-line video; and the NCAA Football Rules Book. Review the 2008 revision of the NCAA Sports Medicine Handbook guideline on Skin Infection in Athletics for more information.
Resources
Related Articles
- NCAA 2003 MRSA Educational Initiative
- Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Infections Among Competitive Sports Participants: Colorado, Indiana, Pennsylvania and Los Angeles County, 2000-2003.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Aug. 2003.View
- CDC Warns Against Resistant Staph Strain. NATA News, August 2003. View
