FONT SIZE
Email this
Print this
POST A COMMENT
Bacteria on unidentified beaches
Associated Press story:
SAN FRANCISCO — Dangerous staph bacteria have been found in sand and water for the first time at five public beaches along the coast of Washington, and scientists think the state is not the only one with this problem.
The germ is MRSA, or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus – a hard-to-treat bug once rarely seen outside of hospitals but that increasingly is spreading in ordinary community settings such as schools, locker rooms and gyms.
The germ causes nasty skin infections as well as pneumonia and other life-threatening problems. It spreads mostly through human contact. Little is known about environmental sources that also may harbor the germ.
. . .
In the new study, researchers tested 10 beaches in Washington along the West Coast and in Puget Sound from February to September 2008. Staph bacteria were found at nine of them, including five with MRSA. The strains resembled the highly resistant ones usually seen in hospitals, rather than the milder strains acquired in community settings, Roberts said.
The researchers declined to identify the beaches where the germ was found.
No staph was found in samples from two beaches in southern California.
People should not avoid beaches or be afraid to enjoy them, scientists say.
“It’s probably prudent to shower when you come out” to lower the risk of bacteria staying on the skin, said Dr. Lance Peterson, a microbiologist at NorthShore University Health System in Evanston, Ill.
“Make sure you get all the sand off,” and cover any open cuts or scrapes before playing in the sand, Roberts added. Digging in the sand or being buried in it seems to raise the risk of infection, she said.
This post was very useful in my quest to find out more information on Molluscum.
Maybe Ocean Shores should spring for the test. As for me, I’ll be wearing my boots on the beach until I hear that we tested negative. I wonder what my dog’s chances are for picking up MRSA…
This much I’ve been able to find out: Grays Harbor County does not test for MRSA on the beaches.
They tested Ocean Shores beaches last week for enterococcus, a fecal bacteria; none was found.
So the studies were done in 2008? We’re most of the way through 2009…I wonder if they’ve done follow up studies?
Tom, can you get your journalistic claws out and dig into WHERE the 5 beaches are? Certainly the city doesn’t want it to be here, BUT, then again, we don’t want the unsuspecting made ill either!
I agree. If we don’t know where it is, how can we protect ourselves. MRSA is what killed my wife, Sacha.
Isn’t that helpful, that they won’t identify where the problem is located. :0( So what good is the information?