For years, killer staph germs were only found in hospitals. Now, similar super-bugs are turning up in locker rooms and on sporting equipment - even at a local high school. And what's worse...this gym germ is growing resistant to antibiotics. 7’s Randy Price has more on the story…
College football star, Ricky Lannetti thought he had a simple stomach bug but it turned out to be much worse.
Theresa Lannetti, Ricky Lannetti's mother
"They had all the doctors in there, and I thought, he's 21 years old, and he's strong and healthy, how can someone like that just get sick and die?"
By the time doctors knew what was wrong, it was too late. This is the "super-bug" that killed Lannetti. It's called MRSA - methicillin-resistant staph - and it's gaining strength. Doctors are having a difficult time predicting which antibiotics will stop it.
Right now, the Department of Public Health is tracking MRSA cases across the state.
Dr. Alfred Demaria, Mass. Dept of Public Health
"The resistance is increasing and there's probably more of this out there then we recognized before."
If it's not caught in time, MRSA can kill. All the bug needs is an open wound for a potentially dangerous skin infection to set in. A tell-tale sign is a pimple or boil that spreads quickly.
Athletes in high-contact sports are most at risk. The St. Louis Rams, USC Trojans and UNH Wildcats all had outbreaks. Last fall, the bug struck 4 football players at Wayland High School.
Andrew, Wayland High School Student
"I was kind of scared, because it started real small, then it spread over my entire knee."
Wayland special teams player, Andrew, said his infection began as a small pimple, then quickly progressed.
Andrew, Wayland High School Student
"I got a really bad fever, and i couldn't walk, and my mom brought me to the hospital."Dr. Simone Mordas, Wayland School Internist
"I was shocked, really, that this many kids had the methicillin-resistant staph."
School officials sterilized the locker and weight rooms. All players were screened for the germ.
Charles Roupp, Wayland High School Principal
"I was worried that we get to them quickly and solve the problem quickly."
While there have been outbreaks in school locker rooms, no outbreaks of MRSA have been reported in private gyms. That doesn't mean it's not here. Health officials say the germ can live in dirty towels and on workout equipment.
The experts stress
Keeping these in mind should keep your health routine - healthier.
For more information:
CDC's web site on MRSA:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/hip/ARESIST/ca_mrsa.htm
