A fresh warning has been issued about the risk of catching a new strain of the MRSA superbug in gyms and health clubs across the UK. The alert follows the death of a 28-year-old woman and at least 100 other infections linked to communal areas such as changing rooms.
The new variety, known as Community-Acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA), can cause skin infections including boils, abscesses and inflammations. In severe cases, it can lead to a lethal form of pneumonia. Experts say the bacteria enter the body through grazes on the skin.
Unlike hospital-acquired MRSA, which primarily affects the elderly and those with weakened immune systems, CA-MRSA is spreading among young, otherwise healthy adults. The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has studied cases that did not respond to standard antibiotics like penicillin.
Dr Angela Kearns, head of the staphylococcus reference laboratory at the HPA, said they have seen infections passed between family members. She noted that boils caused by CA-MRSA can be severe and may require hospitalisation and drainage. Dr Mark Enright from the University of Bath described MRSA as a 'significant danger outside healthcare settings' and a pandemic threat.
CA-MRSA first emerged in the US in the 1980s among drug users and has since spread through prisons, sports teams and military units. Cases have also been reported in France and Germany. In the UK, MRSA-related deaths doubled from 487 in 1999 to 955 in 2003.
