Staph Bacteria at Southern California Beaches
Lack of Staph in 2008 Study Does Not Mean Bacteria is Absent in CA
Sep 15, 2009
The results of a 2008 University of Washington study suggested to some that beachgoers in Washington State are more at risk of contracting a staph infection than beachgoers in Southern California. This conclusion is based on the fact that, during the study, staph bacteria were found at nine of the ten beaches sampled in Washington and at neither of the two beaches sampled in Southern California. Additionally, MRSA, a drug-resistant strain of staph bacteria, was found at half of the beaches in Washington and none of the beaches in Southern California.
The announcement was made at the 2009 annual Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agency and Chemotherapy (ICAAC) in San Francisco, leading news sources around the country, but especially on the West Coast, to ask the question: "Is Your Beach Contaminated with MRSA?"
Staph Bacteria is Likely Present at Southern California Beaches
Dr. Marilyn C. Roberts, a professor at the University of Washington and one of the investigators leading the study, suggested the lack of staph bacteria in Southern California had more to do with the limits of the study rather than an actual absence of staph bacteria on the beaches south of Santa Barbara.
“We only did two sample areas [in Southern California], and it wasn’t under optimal conditions,” explained Roberts in a press conference at ICAAC. She went on to explain that in the case of the Southern California samples, the processing of the samples was delayed, and this may have resulted in false negative readings.
“I think that’s probably part of the reason,” Roberts concluded, for why staph bacteria were not found at the Southern California beaches. She also acknowledged that the absence of staph bacteria in Southern California samples may simply have been the result of not sampling enough areas. Roberts pointed out that more funding would be necessary to accurately assess the risks in both Washington and Southern California.
MRSA Bacteria Levels at Beaches "Much Higher" Than Expected
Investigators involved in the Study were surprised by the findings. "[W]e thought that chance of finding MRSA would be zero," said Roberts regarding the sand collected at public beaches as part of the study. "The very fact that we found these organisms suggests that the level is much higher than we had thought."
Simple Precautions for Beachgoers
“I’m not telling people not to go to the beach,” said Roberts, but she, like other health experts urges basic common sense when visiting any beach. This is particularly the case in light of the new study which suggests that, as Roberts said, “public beaches may be a reservoir for possible transmission of MRSA.”
More research will be necessary to determine the real risk, but, in the interim, beachgoers should take simple precautions to protect themselves from staph bacteria when visiting the beach. These simple precautions include:
- Showering before going to the beach
- Covering all open wounds with clean bandages
- Not sharing personal items such as towels
- Avoiding excessive contact with sand (e.g., being buried in the sand)
- Showering after returning from the beach
- Being attentive to any infection or elevated temperature subsequent to a beach visit
By following these simple recommendations, beachgoers in both Southern California and Washington State should be able to continue to enjoy their respective beaches.
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