Seven-time NBA All-Star Grant Hill was sidelined in 2003 with a MRSA infection. His temperature climbed so high due to the infection that it nearly killed him. At the time of his diagnosis, Hill was frustrated by the lack of information about MRSA and how to prevent it.

After this harrowing experience, Hill was eager to educate the public about this deadly form of Staph infection, and what steps people can take to protect themselves from MRSA. He was kind enough to share some insights with Parenting Squad readers, including how the pros fight MRSA in the NBA, and what parents can do to influence our kids' sports teams.

What is MRSA?

MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) is a type of Staph bacteria found on the skin and in the nose that is resistant to antibiotics. More than 90,000 Americans get potentially-deadly MRSA infections every year and in 2005, nearly 19,000 Americans died from MRSA infections. More deaths are linked to MRSA infections than AIDS.

There are two known types of MRSA. You may have heard of Healthcare-Associated (HA-MRSA), which occurs in hospitals and nursing homes, but a newer type of MRSA is Community-Associated (CA-MRSA), which has recently begun to spread in public settings like gyms, locker rooms, households and schools.

How To Prevent the Spread of MRSA

People can carry MRSA and not have any symptoms. These "carriers" can also transmit the bacteria to other people. MRSA can be easily spread through skin-to-skin contact and by touching contaminated items. This is why it is crucial to take measures to help reduce the spread of MRSA using these practical steps.

• Scrub up. Wash your hands frequently with soap and warm water for at least 15 seconds — the time it takes to sing Happy Birthday twice — or use an alcohol-based hand rub sanitizer.
   
• Wipe it down. Use a disinfecting bleach solution (1 tablespoon of disinfecting bleach diluted in 1 quart of water) to wipe down and disinfect hard surfaces. Make sure to use clean cloths to avoid spreading MRSA from one surface to another.
   
• Cover your cuts. Keep any nicks or wounds covered with a clean, dry bandage until healed.
   
• Keep to yourself. Do not share personal items, like towels or razors, that come into contact with bare skin.
   
• Use a barrier. Keep a towel or clothing between skin and shared equipment.

According to StopMRSANow.org MRSA, like other staph bacteria, can cause a skin infection such as pimples, rashes, abscesses, boils, or what can look like a spider bite. These infections are usually warm, painful, red or swollen.

If you think that you or anyone in your family may have a MRSA infection, contact a licensed health care professional, especially if the infection is large, painful, warm to the touch, or does not heal by itself.

For more information on MRSA and steps you can take to help reduce the spread of the bacteria, download the STOP MRSA Now Playbook here or a fact sheet here.