Population-based surveillance for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections among high school football and wrestling participants—Nebraska, 2008–2010

MRSA, which had been known primarily as a cause of healthcare-associated infections, increasingly has been recognized as a cause of skin infections among persons of all ages who have little or no contact with healthcare settings. Such infections are the most common cause of skin and soft-tissue infections among patients presenting to emergency departments.

Objective

The Nebraska Department of Heath and Human Services (NDHHS) Office of Epidemiology conducted ongoing surveillance to monitor statewide incidence of physician diagnosed methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections among high school football and wrestling participants during school years 2008–09 and 2009–10.