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Skin infections are a leading cause of missed competition. Skin-related infections account for nearly 10 percent of high school sports-related health conditions or injuries in athletes. The number jumps to 20 percent for college-level athletes. Sports-related skin infections have a variety of causes, including bacteria, viruses and fungi. Most of these infections spread through skin-to-skin contact, poor hygiene or shared equipment or towels. Caring for athletes should include recognizing and evaluating these conditions to prevent the spread of infections between competitors. How do skin infections spread? Maintain clean facilities.Skin-to-skin contact Athlete A develops a skin infection, then spreads the infection...

Case definition: Probable case: A case of skin infection in a contact sports team diagnosed by a healthcare provider Confirmed case: A probable case that is laboratory confirmed Outbreak Definition: Two or more cases of the same skin infection in a contact sports team within an 8 day period Prior to Having an Outbreak: 1) School administrators should assist in preventing skin infections in sports teams by providing:  Warm water, soap, and paper towels in locker rooms and bathrooms  Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registered disinfectants  Training and education for staff, coaches and athletes 2) All athletes should: ...

What is MRSA and how can it affect me? Staphylococcus aureus (“staph”) is a germ that often lives in the nose or on the skin of healthy people. MRSA, short for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, is a type of staph germ that is resistant to certain antibiotics. In the community, most MRSA infections are skin infections (pustules, boils) that may be: • Mistaken for spider bites • Red, swollen, painful, warm to the touch, and have pus or other drainage • Accompanied by a fever To learn more about MRSA, visit www.cdc.gov/mrsa Can MRSA be spread at recreational water facilities? MRSA...

Rugby players who share towels, razors or even ice baths are at risk of passing on serious skin infections, Public Health England experts warn. An investigation at a Midlands rugby club found the PVL-MSSA bug had spread between players, giving rise to boils, abscesses and carbuncles. And in serious cases, the infection can lead to life-threatening illness and cause skin and tissues to die. Doctors have urged players to indulge in less sharing and better hygiene. 'Close contact' The condition is caused by a strain of bacteria, known as methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus, that produces a toxin called Panton-Valentine leukocidin. Public...

Abstract Although the usual perspective on return to play for athletes is recovery from injury, an unheralded aspect on return to play involves potentially contagious skin infections. An estimated 8.5% of health conditions and injuries related to high school sports and 21% of health conditions and injuries related to college sports involve infectious diseases of the skin. In about half of these cases, the head, face, or neck is affected. The infectious agents are common microorganisms, including methicillin-resistant and methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus and Streptococcus bacteria, herpes viruses, and tinea fungi. The challenge for physicians is to provide proper treatment to patients...