MRSA - To tell or not to tell?

[odwalla]

Let's say you, somehow, got MRSA. Google it for more info if you don't know what it is - basically a nasty infection, non-std and non-genital related (basically, you can get it from anywhere) Since it is highly communicable and potentially fatal if spread to the very young, very old or those with weak immune systems, would you tell recent play partners that you have it, just as a courtesy?

If one of your play partners told you they had it, would you avoid them like the plague, even after they healed? Is this the kind of thing that people might equate to you having AIDS or some other STD, even though it isnt?

We told one of our play partners I had it and they are saying "lots of respect for telling us etc" but I get the sense they are secretly disgusted and probably want to avoid us now. Who knows. Thoughts?

[VegasLee]

Honestly, if you have something that is potentially fatal to anyone then you should not be playing and you should advise anyone you have had contact with.

If this is something that you had and you don't have any longer and there is no chance of it coming back and spreading then there is no reason to be telling anyone about it.

Common sense has to come into play here. When you are talking about something potentially fatal to people responsible people would not be exposing anyone else to it.

[avid]

It would be kind of unusual to acquire that particular staph infection outside of a health care centre. Do you know how you got it?

Healthy people carry around staph bacteria - along with all other kinds of bacteria. It would be unlikely that you would pass it along to someone who is otherwise healthy.

That's one BAD bug, man. It used to be that it was only a hospital-acquired infection, but newer reports show it's moved out into the community.

[sexcupid]

Well...on one hand, it is hard to pluck up the guts to tell someone that you have a nasty cootie bug (be it of the STD or other variety)...but dropping that kind of bomb on someone is major. They are probably in shock. While you want to think that people will still be cool with you...they may not. Yes, we all want to hope we take the high road and have everything stay the same. But human nature being what it is...they may not want to play with you anymore and they may or may not want to socialize with you.

While there is the risk for STDs doing this..telling someone they may have the clap probably has less of an ick factor to a playmate than some thing like MRSA. It just has a greater ick factor I guess. Partically because it is something that isn't common knowledge and there is a fear of the unknown...but still it is pretty serious.

[funbuddy]

I would certainly hope that a potential partner would tell me beforehand if she had a communicable disease. An STD (depending on which one) is something you may have to live with and endure for the rest of your life, not to mention it could be fatal. It is unacceptable to withhold this from someone if you know you have an STD.

[tribbles]

I've wondered if people have any clue how many have MRSA but with no symptoms.

I'd say, if your doctor has cleared you, and you have no restrictions - it's ok to have sex with your partner or kiss the new baby in the family.....I'd guess there is no reason to freak playmates out unless the doc believes you are colonized and can pass it on.

Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA)

[highlander]

Originally Posted by odwalla

We told one of our play partners I had it and they are saying "lots of respect for telling us etc" but I get the sense they are secretly disgusted and probably want to avoid us now. Who knows. Thoughts?

Here's the thing, it may go deeper that that. A lot of folks REALLY don't want to think about these things-and won't do anything proactive even when given the opportunity.

As I understand it, you developed an infection, notified everyone that possibly could have had contact with with you when you might have been infectious, refrained from play until your doctor cleared you. Now, sometimes these things aren't entirely clear cut(i.e. doctors might vary on opinions on what and when contact would be safe). Sounds like you did the right thing.

Now, a question for you: Do you want to play with folks that don't appreciate what you did(and might not inform you if a similar situation arose with them)?

[highlander]

Originally Posted by VegasLee

Honestly, if you have something that is potentially fatal to anyone then you should not be playing

People will be playing regardless of their medical status. The best we can hope for is that people that have potentially fatal conditions

a) learn about their condition early on(i.e. test regularly)

b) after learning of their condition, tend to restrict their play to
others with similar conditions

c) Obey the law and inform all future partners of their condition

d) take precautions to avoid reinfections(some of these diseases come in
various strains so folks need to avoid getting multiple strains).

There are sites emerging specifically to match folks with incurable conditions.
( one is STD, Herpes, HPV, HIV/AIDS, HPV dating, STD dating, Herpes dating, STD singles, Herpes picture, STD relationship, STD match, STD marriage. and I think we'd do well to refer people to such sites ).

Anyhow, I have had a partner that informed me that they had a condition after we were together(one I thankfully didn't have). I tend to think there is an obligation on the part of the person informed to make a special effort to keep in touch in those situations. People shouldn't be made to feel an outcast for doing the right thing.

Anyhow, I think it is important how we talk about this topic-it is such a delicate one.

[BiloxiCouple]

And to think the flu used to be a major killer in the states and worldwide...

Just a sneeze from someone and BAM you're dead.

And highlander, we get it. It may be time to get off the

[Chris&Amelia]

Yes, I would tell my play partner. Hell, I tell my play partner if I have the flu...

You should worn them if you have any sort of infectious disease.

And, quite frankly, which do you think will ruin your reputation in the swinger community more: you got sick with something but ended up healing up / getting it out of your system, or that you got sick with something and didn't tell the people who were having sex with you?

[fullsafefun]

Working in a health facility I hear about MRSA all the time. My question to you is - having talked with your doctor, has he said the the MRSA is colonized? The nurses at work will tell you that almost everyone has some form of MRSA but if it is colonzied then it is not contagious. The most common spot for MRSA to colonize is in the nose hairs. If the doctor tells you that the MSRA is not colonized then you are contagious and should be taking precautions. What precautions you need to take depends, if not colonized, on where your MRSA is. If it is on the skin, then it needs to be covered. Just saying you have MRSA is very vague and therefore much more scary to anyone receiving the news. To know if your MRSA has colonized you would need to have I believe three sucessive lab test done for it to be confirmed colonized, but talk to your doctor and become completely informed.

[MIbbwcpl]

We picked up scabies this last summer and I had to tell a playmate. I still don't know if he and his wife are pissed off at us over that. While it's not an STD, it can be passed from intimate contact or by sharing linens (which would have happened that night even if nothing sexual had occurred). I felt like crap telling him, but *not* telling would have been the wrong thing to do IMO.

So, in my opinion, if either of us had something that was highly communicable, I would tell anyone we have played with during the time that it would have been infectious. It sucks, it really does, makes one feel dirty IME, but it's the right thing to do.