I don't see any way they could prove the staph infection came from the turf. Everything I've seen is that turf fields are no more likely than natural fields to cause infections. I think what is more likely is that the turf causes more abrasions which gives staph more possible entry points into the body.

 

How would a natural surface be any better in the scenario you explained? I could be way off, but I would think it could hang around longer on a natural surface.

 

Natural surfaces contain the flora and fauna - including micro-organisms, grass, and good-old earthworms - that are able to help more effectively break down the bad bacterial and more toxic elements of unclean water. I had it explained to me this way when I was building the NKU soccer stadium: Which would biodegrade faster: dog crap sitting in a lawn, or dog crap sitting on a sheet of plastic?

 

Now that doesn't mean that if you dump water containing E. coli and Staphylococcus onto a grass field that the field will be able to "clean itself up" within 24 hours...but all the same, a natural field surface is nonetheless a better option than artificial turf.

Natural surfaces contain the flora and fauna - including micro-organisms, grass, and good-old earthworms - that are able to help more effectively break down the bad bacterial and more toxic elements of unclean water. I had it explained to me this way when I was building the NKU soccer stadium: Which would biodegrade faster: dog crap sitting in a lawn, or dog crap sitting on a sheet of plastic?

 

Now that doesn't mean that if you dump water containing E. coli and Staphylococcus onto a grass field that the field will be able to "clean itself up" within 24 hours...but all the same, a natural field surface is nonetheless a better option than artificial turf.

 

Unless you clean the field as you are supposed to do.

Unless you clean the field as you are supposed to do.

 

Correct. I meant a natural field is a better option for "keeping itself clean", per se, than artificial turf.

Natural surfaces contain the flora and fauna - including micro-organisms, grass, and good-old earthworms - that are able to help more effectively break down the bad bacterial and more toxic elements of unclean water. I had it explained to me this way when I was building the NKU soccer stadium: Which would biodegrade faster: dog crap sitting in a lawn, or dog crap sitting on a sheet of plastic?

 

Now that doesn't mean that if you dump water containing E. coli and Staphylococcus onto a grass field that the field will be able to "clean itself up" within 24 hours...but all the same, a natural field surface is nonetheless a better option than artificial turf.

 

True. But there are potential some nasty flora and fauna that exist in natural surfaces. Not all of them are good or beneficial to humans, and some can be dangerous. I've also read that turf fields aren't the most hospitable environments to bacteria. Turf fields, unlike natural surfaces, dry very quickly and thus don't hold the moisture that is required by many organisms. Also, the black fill gets very hot in the summer, hot enough to kill many of these organisms.

During the fall athletic season we were having our turf field groomed & sprayed once a week. The district had a maintenance crew that would come out & do it for us & did it @ each of the other turf fields in the city.

Natural surfaces contain the flora and fauna - including micro-organisms, grass, and good-old earthworms - that are able to help more effectively break down the bad bacterial and more toxic elements of unclean water. I had it explained to me this way when I was building the NKU soccer stadium: Which would biodegrade faster: dog crap sitting in a lawn, or dog crap sitting on a sheet of plastic?

Now that doesn't mean that if you dump water containing E. coli and Staphylococcus onto a grass field that the field will be able to "clean itself up" within 24 hours...but all the same, a natural field surface is nonetheless a better option than artificial turf.

 

I was tracking along fine in this thread until now....time to go get the scooper and clean my yard. Thanks for the reality check

MRSA

Staph Infections Associated With Artificial Turf?

I know my son has come home, with cuts, scratches, and burns after many games on Newport's field, over his 4 years at Newcath, and not once got MRSA. I find it hard to believe that one kid, playing one game on that field, for 40 minutes (if he played the entire game), would get MRSA. Some people have the MRSA virus living on their skin, how do they know that he didn't? Just my opinion.

Yep. And a kid that only played one game there. You'd think if it were dirty, staph ridden field, more than a few kids practiced there 4 days a week and played half their games there would have come down with staph.

 

I would say over 1000 kids played on that field. I know my sons football team did last August.

I know there is a lot going on now with theNewport program but would be interested to hear from them. They have kids on the field everyday working hard practicing all summer and play half their games on that field. Have the Wildcats had and health problems??

During the fall athletic season we were having our turf field groomed & sprayed once a week. The district had a maintenance crew that would come out & do it for us & did it @ each of the other turf fields in the city.

 

Just out of curiosity, what does it cost to clean a turf field?

Did the turf give the player the infection or did the player give the turf the infection? What came first, the chicken or the egg? According to the CDC, this bacteria can be killed at 140 degrees Fahrenheit. No one would play football on a surface that hot! However, the ideal temperature for growing the bacteria that causes Staph infections is 95 degrees Fahrenheit, hence, players are on the field. Summer practice season is the perfect storm for Staph and MRSA outbreaks at high schools or colleges and I'm sure on the professinal level too! I agree with JohnnyU, spray these fields once a week, and don't ignore the weight/locker room where it is rampant too!!

Did the turf give the player the infection or did the player give the turf the infection? What came first, the chicken or the egg? According to the CDC, this bacteria can be killed at 140 degrees Fahrenheit. No one would play football on a surface that hot! However, the ideal temperature for growing the bacteria that causes Staph infections is 95 degrees Fahrenheit, hence, players are on the field. Summer practice season is the perfect storm for Staph and MRSA outbreaks at high schools or colleges and I'm sure on the professinal level too! I agree with JohnnyU, spray these fields once a week, and don't ignore the weight/locker room where it is rampant too!!

 

Wanna bet?? The highest recorded temp on a field turf field is 200 degrees. During the summer, it's reported that the average field turf temp is on average 35-55 degrees higher than air temperature. So if it's 90 degrees, the temp of the turf could be as high as 145 degrees. There are plenty of articles out there that talk about hot artificial surfaces can get. But basically, they lack the moisture and evaporation that natural surfaces have that keep grass fields cool.

 

High Temps On Turf Fields Spark Safety Concerns : NPR

FieldTurf: Penn State University Testing Debunks ?Cooling Technologies?

Is there a standard schedule and process for cleaning turf?

 

Attorney says Newport has mot produced amy records showing how and when it was cleaned.