title: One-year surveillance of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus nasal colonization and skin and soft tissue infections in collegiate athletes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the frequency and clinical importance of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) colonization in student athletes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective observational cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A major university in the southeastern United States.
  
  
  METHODS
  Student athletes participating in the men's football and women's lacrosse programs (N = 126). Main Exposure Monthly assessment of S aureus nasal colonization.
  
  
  METHODS
  Trends in S aureus colonization over time and the occurrence of skin and soft tissue infections.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Methicillin-resistant S aureus nasal colonization varied significantly through the athletic season (4%-23%), peaking during times of highest athletic activity. This increase in colonization was not associated with the development of an outbreak of skin and soft tissue infections, and no single MRSA clone emerged as a dominant isolate.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  During the athletic season, there is a considerable burden of MRSA colonization in student athletes; however, colonization alone appears to be insufficient to trigger an outbreak of staphylococcal infections. A combination of distinct molecular characteristics in the organism and specific host factors may govern the development of staphylococcal disease.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt, Nashville, TN 37232-2573, USA. buddy.creech@vanderbilt.edu
authors.forename: C Buddy
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Creech
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Saye
authors.forename: Brian D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: McKenna
authors.forename: B Gayle
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jimenez
authors.forename: Thomas R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Talbot
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bossung
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gregory
authors.forename: Kathryn M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Edwards
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D056352:Athletes; D005260:Female; D005538:Football; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009666:Nose / Q000382:microbiology*; D011447:Prospidium; D015865:Racquet Sports; D013177:Sports; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013207:Staphylococcal Skin Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D011447:Prospidium