MRSA sidelines Giants tight end Daniel Fells for rest of season
EAST RUTHERFORD -- The New York Giants are taking precautions to prevent the spread of infection after tight end Daniel Fells was ruled out for the rest of the season because of MRSA, a source with knowledge of the situation told ESPN on Tuesday.
MRSA, a serious staph infection, is a powerful bacteria resistant to penicillin-type treatment. The Giants have scrubbed their locker room, training room and meeting rooms as precautions.
At this time, the Giants have no specific concerns about any other players or team personnel having contracted MRSA, and everything they are doing is for precautionary reasons.
While this is a serious situation and MRSA can be life-threatening, the source said Fells is expected to be okay and is getting the treatment he needs.
"We are working with infectious disease specialists, and we have defined protocols that we are following in consultation with the Duke Infection Control Outreach Network and local infectious disease specialists," Giants spokesman Pat Hanlon said. "Those protocols are being followed carefully."
Fells was being treated for a chronic ankle condition when it was discovered that he had a staph infection that would require treatment extensive enough to end his season. Due to the contagious nature of such infections, the team is doing what it can to make sure it hasn't and doesn't spread to other players or team personnel.
Three members of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers -- guard Carl Nicks, kicker Lawrence Tynes and cornerback Johnthan Banks -- were diagnosed with MRSA last season, and the Bucs made attempts to clean the facilities in an attempt to stop the spread of infection.
Tynes, who blames the infection led to the end of his career, has filed a lawsuit against the Bucs, alleging the team failed to employ necessary sterile techniques and routinely left therapy devices, equipment and surfaces unclean. Nicks also hasn't played since being diagnosed with a recurrence. Banks didn't miss any playing time.
