Staphylococcus aureus, often called “staph,” is a common type of bacteria that can be found in the nose and on the skin of about one in every three people. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, also called MRSA, is a resistant strain of this common bacteria that cannot be killed by many of the antibiotics that doctors normally prescribe to battle infections.

MRSA once mainly affected patients in hospitals. Now, new strains of community-associated MRSA (“the superbug”) have been invading public spaces such as schools, gyms, and community centers and attacking healthy individuals. Health clubs and gyms are especially attractive environments for MRSA because staph grows rapidly in warm, moist environments.

“Trips to the gym, meant to help keep people in shape, should never turn into events that could be harmful to your body,” says Dr. Ron Najafi, an expert in antibiotic resistant bacteria. Dr. Najafi believes that surveillance, hygiene, and the will to prevent transmission are the keys to curtailing the spread of MRSA.

“People need to educate themselves about MRSA and be familiar with where and how it spreads so they can actively avoid contracting this deadly staph infection,” says Dr. Najafi, CEO of NovaBay Pharmaceuticals. NovaBay is a biotech company that has developed a compound, NVC-422, which has shown promise in combating numerous pathogens including MRSA and is being developed to prevent infections in hospitals and to treat eye and skin infections.

Dr. Najafi offers the following suggestions concerning how to protect oneself from MRSA at the gym:

• Make sure to wipe down your exercise equipment (e.g., elliptical machines, treadmill, etc.) before and after workouts with spray disinfectants. If your gym does not provide these products, speak with management to request they be made available.
• Try to avoid using communal mats at the gym. If necessary, make sure your towel covers your workout area and/or wear clothes that cover your skin to avoid direct contact.
• After working out, shower and change your clothes immediately.
• Never share towels.
• Be sure to wear sandals or flip-flops in gym showers, saunas, and steam rooms.
• Avoid touching your nose, mouth, or eyes after using exercise equipment.

“By following these simple suggestions,” says Dr. Najafi, “fear of disease need not keep anyone from enjoying the gym.”