Locker rooms filled with towels, sweaty uniforms, and fatigued athletes, are a perfect place for bacteria, fungi and viral growth. The odors that come from these locker rooms assure everyone that the athletes are not breathing clean indoor air. Shower stalls and the locker room floor most often have Tinea Pedis (athletes’ foot causing fungi). Add to that human papillomavirus (virus that causes planters warts) Onychomycosis (causes yellow and brittle toe and fingernails) cold viruses, influenza, and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)and you have a very dangerous environment for unsuspecting victims.

Most athletes maintain good health but at times of fatigue, or injury the immune system is compromised and any one of these malignant microbes can move right in and take over a normally healthy athlete. It is crucial to clean and sanitize everything in the locker room and to also have clean indoor air. Many of these malignant microbes are airborne and can be taken deep into the athletes lungs where, if conditions are right, they can multiply and flourish making the athlete ill, potentially ending his playing season. Another more recent and very serious concern is the spread of MRSA. Athletes can have this on their normal healthy skin and in their nose. It most often will not harm them but if they get cut, or scratched it can enter the body and cause serious infection or even death.

Clean indoor air is one of the many ongoing steps that need to be taken in making the athletes’ environment healthy and safe. Just as important are the cleaning and sanitizing of shower stalls, floors, benches and lockers. Athletes should not share towels, razors, deodorant, shoes, socks or uniforms with other athletes. MRSA can be spread by skin to skin contact from an infected person. An athlete can breathe in some of these microbes and they will remain in the nose for an extended period of time and when they are injured or their immune system is compromised the bacteria can move in and take over causing serious infection and possible death. Several athletes have died from contacting MRSA. In 2008 a high school football player, a 17 year old wrestler, and a University of Tulsa football player all died from contacting MRSA.

Clean indoor air can be maintained by using an air purification/filtration system designed with the technology that has been proven to destroy malignant microbes. This technology is photocatalytic oxidation. ZANDAIR™ products utilize this technology to provide clean indoor air for athletes, medical facilities, homes, offices, schools, and any place of assembly. Look through our products and contact usor one of our distributors to answer any questions or concerns you may have.