Recently, many parts of the country have seen an increasing number of antibiotic-resistant staph infections. MRSA, one of the worst, is a bacterial infection that usually starts out as a boil of sorts. MRSA spreads through casual contact and is highly infectious. Anything the "carrier" touches with the boil, be it a restaurant counter or any doorknob, becomes an instant potential source of the spread of MRSA. Keeping the infection covered helps, but fishing with covered wounds can be very frustrating to say the least; however, any break in the skin represents a potential infection.
To help keep infections to a minimum on my boat, I like to carry a bucket of diluted bleach in the cockpit at all times. Rotating gloves through the bleach keeps them clean and disinfected — a much better alternative to feeling the sting from cuts on your hands when you slide on a pair of stinking gloves that have been stored in the bait box. (If you've spent your fair share of time in the cockpit, you know exactly what I mean.) Keep one pair clean and rinsed out and the other soaking in the bleach. It's not a perfect way to prevent staph infections, but it doesn't hurt. Hang them in the engine room to dry at day's end or on the way home, after they've been bleached. Be careful to rinse them thoroughly, however, because too much bleach can eat away at the stitches and make the gloves weak and easy to tear.
The resistant staphylococcus doesn't come from the sea or the fish, but from our own bodies. So the cleaner you are, the healthier it is for everyone on the boat. Door handles, toilet knobs, refrigerators/freezers, mayo jars, microwaves, the remote control for the TV and the bait boxes all need a little bleaching periodically.
You should also keep a bottle of Hibiclens, or any other surgical scrub, on board — you won't regret it. A wahoo sliced my knee wide open one time, and I was able to heal quickly thanks to a recurring dose of Hibiclens. The Hibiclens kits come in specially sealed surgical packets that include a scrub brush and a sponge for general hand or wound washing. Don't skimp on the scrubbing part even if it hurts; the best time to clean it right is the first time!
Here's another tip that helps keep infections down: When applying an antiseptic gel like Bacitracin or Neosporin from a tube (like a toothpaste tube), never apply it straight off the threaded end. Always use a covered finger and clean up thoroughly afterward. To stay healthy and in the game, you need to be proactive with your cleaning regime — you can't do your job if you're laid up with an infection.
Capt. Allen Silzle
Birmingham, Alabama
