Feb 16 2009
Visiting beach may get you Staph infection!
Love the ocean? Love to play with the waves? The findings of a new study may make you a little bit nervous! Because, the findings of a study, carried out by a group of researchers from the University of Miami, points that as many as one in three people who swim in tropical waters can be exposed to a contagious staph bacteria, including an antibiotic resistant staph known as Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA .
Staph is not a serious problem for many people, as it’s mild infection can be easily treated. But, wait! MRSA is much more dangerous than the standard staph germ. It can’t be treated with antibiotics. Every year, MRSA affects more than 100,000 people worldwide, out of which some 19,000 die from it. The risks are more in kids, elderly people and those with poor immune system.
The study looked at 1,303 adult beachgoers at a popular beach in South Florida. Half of those beachgoers were asked to take a dip in the water and collect a sample of water for lab tests. The other half sat on the beach for 15 minutes. After analysis, the researchers found that 37 % of the water samples had staph in them and 3 % of those were antibiotic resistant MRSA strain of staph. It means that one out of three people who swam at a beach in South Florida were exposed to staph. And the study also revealed that it is not only the swimmers, but also the onlookers or sunbathers, who may get infected. Because, staph is present in beach sand also!
On February 13, the findings of the study were presented by Dr. Lisa Plano of the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine, at a conference of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Still, the researchers are not asking people to stop visiting beaches. Because extensive studies are needed to be done, before giving a final verdict on this. But, they do recommend showering with soap before and after a beach visit. A shower before swimming or going to the beach will prevent people from sharing their germs with other beachgoers. On the other hand, a shower after a beach visit will help you to protect yourself from harmful bacteria like staph. So, stay clean and enjoy the beach!
