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StaphAseptic™ News
Can My Gym Make Me Sick?
April 21, 2010
That's Fit
By Liz Neporent
I've heard that many gyms are so germy they can actually make you really sick. Any truth to that? - Alli, Delaware
Working up a sweat can be exhilarating and good for your health. But working out in someone else's sweat, well, that's more than just icky -- it can make you sick. Really, really sick.
For the past five years or so, outbreaks of the super germ methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (dubbed "MRSA") has been frequently reported in hospitals, prisons and yes, gyms. Health experts are concerned that the gyms we frequent in the name of good health can be ideal breeding grounds for MRSA and similar bugs. MRSA typically lives harmlessly on the healthy skin and inside the noses of about 30 percent of the population. But many germs and viruses, including MRSA, can enter your bloodstream through even the tiniest break in the skin, causing an antibiotic-resistant, potentially deadly infection.
Most people have strong enough immune systems to fight off MRSA. But for those with compromised auto-immune response, a MRSA infection can be deadly. People with AIDS or those who have had recent surgery or even a bad cold recently are at a greater risk for a MRSA attack. MRSA is not completely antibiotic resistant and in fact, still responds to several injectable antibiotics.
However, experts are concerned that as time goes on and the bacteria continues to evolve, the strain may stop responding to any of the available medicines and turn even deadlier. So while there needn't be widespread panic, you should take cleanliness and self protection in public places seriously.
This is a portion of the original article. To keep reading article (including tips on infection prevention) visit thatsfit.com
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