Look Who it Was Random video

Slowing the Spread of Superbugs

319 views · Published 11 April 2015 · 1:41 · Indexed 28 October 2026

Channel: Lee Health · 2015 · Science & Technology

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The dreaded MRSA - its mere mention is enough to make the skin crawl. Experts say this much talked about superbug is super-smart.

“There’s a saying in microbiology that bacteria are always smarter than humans.  So whatever you do, bacteria are going to mutate. So the more antibiotics we use, they will have a chance to mutate against that,” says Lee Memorial Health System’s infectious disease specialist Dr. Pranav Shah. 

MRSA started in hospitals and spread to the community, where it divided into a distinct strain. It’s growth initially fueled by contact sports.

“The first outbreak of MRSA was in a NFL football team where they got MRSA because they were sharing in the locker room. Wrestlers get it around their necks because they are in contact with that. Basketball players get it on their arms because they used that to defend,” says Dr. Shah. 

Nowadays, MRSA has left the locker room and moved into everyday life. From door handles to airplane seats, the bacteria is growing and thriving. 

“So it’s not surprising for me to say that there is MRSA in those places but that doesn't mean that anyone who touches that gets MRSA,” says Dr. Shah. 

The best way to arm yourself against it is a healthy defense.

“It’s basic. Prevention is better than cure, hand washing, use of hand sanitizer is the foremost thing in trying to prevent transmission,” says Dr. Shah. 

To spread infection, community-acquired MRSA requires a port of entry. So keep wounds clean and covered.

“Community-acquired MRSA most commonly gives you skin and soft tissue infections,” says Dr. Shah. 

Good hygiene and hand-washing should wipe out most of your MRSA concerns

View More Health Matters video segments at leememorial.org/healthmatters/

Lee Memorial Health System in Fort Myers, FL is the largest network of medical care facilities in Southwest Florida and is highly respected for its expertise, innovation and quality of care. For nearly a century, we’ve been providing our community with everything from primary care treatment to highly specialized care services and robotic assisted surgeries.

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