Brits warned against sharing towels and razors after spike in MRSA superbug infections outside of hospitals

Brits have been urged to avoid sharing towels or razors amid an increase in cases of MRSA being contracted in the community.

Data shows a total of 175 people were infected with the superbug outside of hospitals between January and March this year, up 47 per cent from the same period in 2019.

Those catching the infection also appear to be getting younger, with almost a quarter of patients recorded as under 45 in 2023-24 compared to just one in 10 in 2007-08.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said they are monitoring infection rates closely to understand the underlying drivers.

But people are being urged to practice good general hygiene, including regular handwashing and not sharing items like towels and razors.

It follows warnings from the US over MRSA being spread in gyms and changing rooms this summer.

Officials from the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said: ‘MRSA spreads fast in athletic facilities, locker rooms, gyms and health clubs because of shared equipment and skin-to-skin contact.’

MRSA, which stands for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, is a bacteria that lives harmlessly on the skin or in the nose.

However, it can cause serious infections if it gets into the body.

If it spreads to your blood or lungs, symptoms can include chills, difficulty breathing, dizziness and confusion.

Rates of the superbug have been steadily increasing in the last decade following a large fall in cases between 2008 and 2012.

The UK data does not record where patients contracted the bug outside hospitals.

Colin Brown, a director of antimicrobial assistance and healthcare-related infections at the UKSHA, told The Times: ‘The overall risk of MRSA bloodstream infections to the public in hospital and community settings remains low [and] substantially below the last peak observed in the early 2000s.

‘It is too early to conclude whether the current rise represents a sustained shift; however, the trend is being monitored closely through surveillance and analysis to better understand the underlying drivers.

‘This will include further analysis of patient characteristics, such as residential type.

‘Outbreaks of these infections in community settings can be managed through maintaining good general hygiene, including regular handwashing and not sharing items such as towels and razors.’

Andrew Edwards, associate professor of molecular biology at Imperial College London, said those who catch MRSA in hospital tended to be older or already ill.

However, younger patients who catch it outside of hospitals are often in sports teams or gym users, which raises ‘a few red flags’.

‘We need to keep a very close eye on whether we are seeing a lot more community transition of MRSA between otherwise healthy people … and watch to see whether this is a blip in the numbers or the beginning of a worrying new trend,’ he said.

He urged gym users to ‘check yourself carefully and be aware you might have abrasions that are not immediately obvious – if you do have any, cover those and just be aware.’