Nov 1, 2006 12:00 PM

Super bugs: the hype, the truth and what you can do to keep your members healthy.

“If someone comes in and they hear our club is dirty or nasty — that's horrifying,” he says. “We want to make sure it's clean, and hopefully they'll stay.”

Unfortunately, health clubs don't always have the cleanest of reputations. “We're a Gold's Gym and get the average person who has never been in but knows the brand and thinks of weights and sweaty guys,” Lennon says. “But if they see someone cleaning and see instant hand sanitizer on the wall, then they realize this isn't a dungeon.”

Ensuring that perception of cleanliness is even more challenging in an older club, which may not be dirty per se, but worn. When a brand-new facility opens down the street, an older club can take a hit because it doesn't have as fresh of an appearance. This is especially true when it comes to attracting certain demographics such as women and seniors, says Lennon, who owns both brand-new clubs and older clubs.

“We have a club in a retirement area with an older population, and this is huge for them,” he says. “Women take time to comment on how clean the club is.”

When cleaning, think about all areas of your facility — child care (where children don't always practice good hygiene), your group exercise room and the entryway. Although few members spend much time in your front entrance, it is your club's first, and sometimes lasting, impression.

To improve that impression even further, many facilities have started offering instant hand sanitizers (IHS) to both its staff and members. Although general hand washing (using warm water and soap and scrubbing for 20 seconds are key) is enough to protect from germs, IHS is perfect when soap and water are not available and hands aren't soiled. Main Event Fitness offers IHS to its staff, and Lennon has received compliments from his Gold's Gym members since offering IHS three years ago.

When it comes to cleaning equipment, nothing fancy is needed. Soap and water or bleach and a little manpower does just fine, Morcone says.

“You don't need the antibacterial stuff. Just clean thoroughly and vigorously to clean those pathogens away,” she says.

Perhaps the most important issue to address is teaching your members what their true risks are. Ironically enough, the worst thing is for people to not join a gym because they're afraid of getting sick.

“Physical activity and eating right makes your immune system stronger and helps fight infections better,” Morcone says. “Going to the gym is something we want people to do.”

Question and Answer about Staphylococcus Aureus and MRSA

What is Staphylococcus aureus (staph)?

Staph are bacteria commonly carried on the skin or in the nose of healthy people. About 25 percent to 30 percent of the population has staph bacteria in their noses without it causing an infection. Sometimes though, staph can cause an infection and it is one of the most common causes of skin infections. Most infections are minor (such as pimples and boils) and can be treated without antibiotics. However, staph bacteria also can cause serious infections, such as surgical wound infections, bloodstream infections and pneumonia.

What is MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus)?

MRSA is a type of staph that is resistant to beta-lactams antibiotics, such as methicillin, oxacillin, penicillin and amoxicillin. While 25 percent to 30 percent of the population is colonized with staph, about 1 percent is colonized with MRSA.

Who gets staph or MRSA infections?

The majority of MRSA infections occur in health care settings; however, it is becoming more common in the community setting. Data from a 2003 prospective study suggests that 12 percent of clinical MRSA infections are community-associated, but this varies by geographic region and population. Factors that have been associated with the spread of MRSA skin infections include close skin-to-skin contact, openings in the skin such as cuts or abrasions, contaminated items and surfaces, crowded living conditions and poor hygiene.

Can your members or staff get a MRSA infection at your club?

In MRSA outbreaks, the environment has not played a significant role in the transmission of MRSA. MRSA is transmitted most frequently by direct skin-to-skin contact. Members and staff can protect themselves by practicing good hygiene (e.g., washing hands with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand rub and showering after working out), covering open skin areas such as abrasions or cuts with a clean dry bandage, avoiding sharing personal items such as towels or razors, using a barrier (e.g., clothing or a towel) between skin and shared equipment, and wiping surfaces of equipment before and after use. To date, there has not been a single outbreak of MRSA in a health club, but be sure to inform your members of your cleanliness policies or cleaning routine and answer any of their questions.

If someone believes they have a staph or a MRSA infection, what should they do?

Cover the wound with clean, dry bandages (bandages or tape can be discarded with the regular trash), and have them see their health care provider. Most staph and MRSA infections are treatable with antibiotics.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, www.cdc.gov

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