An unspecified number of Yale University baseball players and at least one member of the women’s crew team has been infected with the antibiotic-resistant bacterium, Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), according to a Yale Daily News report Monday.

Staphylococcus aureus /CDC
Staphylococcus aureus /CDC

The MRSA cases have been reported from a source who asked to remain anonymous who stated a “few” baseball players were infected with the superbug; however, no official notification from any Yale teams have confirmed the outbreak.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says MRSA is a type of staph bacteria that is resistant to certain antibiotics called beta-lactams. These antibiotics include methicillin and other more common antibiotics such as oxacillin, penicillin, and amoxicillin.

MRSA in the community is widespread and therefore, anyone is at risk. Most people who get MRSA in the community get infections of the skin. Factors that have been associated with the spread of MRSA skin infections include: close skin-to-skin contact, openings in the skin such as cuts or abrasions, contaminated items and surfaces, crowded living conditions, and poor hygiene. People may be more at risk in locations where these factors are common, including: athletic facilities, dormitories, military barracks, correctional facilities, and daycare centers.

Robert Herriman is a microbiologist and the Editor-in-Chief of Outbreak News Today and the Executive Editor of The Global Dispatch

Follow @bactiman63

Related: