MRSA – It’s Everywhere! It’s Everywhere!
I received a tip from a highly esteemed reader on a well known bacteria – methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, letting me know the world was about to end, or at least all humanity will be eaten alive by MRSA, starting at the coast and starting now.
OK, there are some readers who have, shall we say, vivid imaginations. I am certainly not immune to embellishing a story for broader appeal (a non fish story that is).
REALITY
Apparently, at the forefront of MRSA research is Dr. Marily C. Roberts, PhD,MS, at the University of Washington. A new study MRSA study on Seattle, Washington, firefighters, showed they test positive for MRSA at 10 to 20 times of the general public.
The most conclusive article was actually all that was sent me by that unnamed reader, and it really goes a long way toward scaring the bejesus out anyone wading coastlines among barnacles, fish hooks, fins, and rays. The Adventure Journal is one site that should make your bookmark folder, and is typically good for a daily visit.
Not only are firefighters shown to test higher, think MRSA the next time you visit your dentist as well. Although there’s no cause for alarm, small studies of dental students and instructors also show “higher rates of MRSA colonization” and is not unique to the Pacific Northwest.
Layman’s Terms
I skimmed all over this, and from what I can tell, MRSA used to be mostly the thing that you wanted to avoid by getting released from the hospital ASAP. Then it started showing up along coastlines, especially the Pacific coast. Now, it’s being identified more widely in different water bodies.
Take your usual precautions along the Gulf Coast. It does suck, but sometimes just think about the fact that if you don’t get out of the water and treat a cut, that may be your last fishing trip – period. We all know what a stingray can do, and it’s less about the sting than the deep injection of bad stuff that can kill you.
I will be doing some coastal wading and kayaking this winter, and you can bet that even though these bugs are worse in summer, I will still take precautions. Being slowly eaten by some microscopic piranha just doesn’t sound like a good way to go.
Category: Culture on the Skids, Science and Environmental
