Are Washington state beaches unique in that they contained MRSA?
No–MRSA is not unique to Washington state beaches because another paper just published in Water Research, a journal of the International Water Association, found MRSA in the water and on beaches in Catalina Island, off the coast of southern California. And in February at a scientific conference, a third group reported finding MRSA in Florida marine waters. Neither of these studies characterized the strains of MRSA recovered. But these studies indicate that MRSA is now found in both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, and any beach associated with either body of water could potentially have MRSA. Q: How likely is it for someone to pick up MRSA at the beach and get an infection from it? A: The answer to that question is not clear. No studies have been done to address this question. MRSA was once restricted to hospital settings, but community-acquired infections are now more common. MRSA has been isolated from surfaces used by the public. However, with few exceptions, the source of these co
