Gay Men at Higher Risk for New MRSA Strain
SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 15 (UPI)
Sexually active gay men are at higher risk for a highly antibiotic-resistant strain of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, a U.S. study found.
Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, said the bacteria appear to be transmitted most easily through intimate sexual contact, but can spread through casual skin-to-skin contact or via contaminated surfaces.
The newly discovered strain of bacteria is closely related to MRSA bacteria found in hospitals and the community, but resists many more front-line antibiotics.
Both strains are technically known as MRSA USA300, but the new strain spreads easily through skin-to-skin contact, invading skin and tissue beneath the skin, the researchers said.
“These multi-drug resistant infections often affect gay men at body sites in which skin-to-skin contact occurs during sexual activities,” lead author Binh Diep said in a statement. “But because the bacteria can be spread by more casual contact, we are also very concerned about a potential spread of this strain into the general population.”
However, a good scrubbing with soap and water may be the most effective way to prevent transmission of this bacteria — especially after sex, Diep said.
The findings are published online ahead of print in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Are you trying to scare me… because it’s working! The prospect of a potentially sexually transmitted bacteria which happens to be resistent to multiple drugs is frightening. However, after listening to the whole segment on http://www.annals.org and reading the lay version :) , I realized that this is just preliminary information and more research needs to be done.
This information does bring a question to mind. Could the bacteria (both Multi-Drug Resistent and Drug Resistent) be transmitted solely in the clinics rather than internally through the M2M population? I know the physicians had indicated that there was no cases for str8 men with HIV carrying the bacteria. However, I know that many clinics may cater to or have a greater number of gay men who the clinics are provider service for. Perhaps when the paper comes out, this question will be answered.
I’m also alarmed at the somewhat casual remark to wash and scrub after sex by both physicians. They quickly corrected themselves indicating that this was only conjecture. I was reminded of AIDS in the early years when there were rampant urban legends and false information advocating different means to prevent HIV infection such as using paper seats on public toilets and washing before and after sex. I hope that the medical community and the queer community have learnt from those early years. I am not advocating to not wash but to be mindful that this is not a cure nor a proven preventative tactic for a potential STI.