MRSA infection in athletes is managed initially by:

• A. Isolating the athlete from teammates
• B. Immediate broad-spectrum antibiotic exposure to all players
• C. Returning to play after 24 hours regardless of lesion
• D. No medical evaluation needed

Answer: (A)

The main idea is preventing transmission of a contagious skin infection in sports. MRSA spreads through skin-to-skin contact and shared gear, so the first move is to separate the athlete with the infection from teammates and stop participation until a clinician has evaluated the lesion and started appropriate treatment. In practice, this means isolating the athlete, keeping the lesion covered with a clean dressing, enforcing good hand hygiene, and cleaning or avoiding shared equipment and facilities until cleared. Antibiotics are prescribed after medical evaluation for the individual, not given to everyone. Returning to play should wait for medical clearance and appropriate wound management; simply returning after 24 hours or not seeking medical evaluation would risk spreading the infection.