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LIU Post Student Athlete Treated For MRSA

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A college student on Long Island has been treated for the bacterial infection Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, better known as MRSA.

William Milford, Director of Medical Services at LIU Post, issued the following statement Thursday:

"One athlete was treated for MRSA-like symptoms. There are no other known cases. We have no evidence of a wider impact and will continue to follow best-practice medical protocols to ensure the safety and well-being of our students.

As a precaution, the field house, athletic facilities and equipment were thoroughly disinfected and sanitized.  All Nassau County and OSHA guidelines for student health and safety are followed rigorously.

To protect the student's privacy, we cannot provide any further identifying information."

According to the Mayo Clinic, MRSA infection is caused by a strain of staph bacteria that's become resistant to the antibiotics commonly used to treat ordinary staph infections. Most MRSA infections occur in people who've been in hospitals or other health care settings, such as nursing homes and dialysis centers.

When it occurs in these settings, it's known as health care-associated MRSA, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Another type of MRSA infection that has occurred among healthy people is community-associated MRSA. This often begins as a painful skin boil and is spread by skin-to-skin contact.

At-risk populations include groups such as high school wrestlers, child care workers and people who live in crowded conditions.

Both health care-associated and community-associated strains of MRSA still respond to certain antibiotics, and in some cases, antibiotics may not be necessary, according to the Mayo Clinic.

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