Maybe UI students should be afraid to get their hands dirty.

Cases of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus have increased yearly from 2005 to 2008 in people 18 years and younger, according to a study published in BMC Infectious Diseases last month.

“Before last year, we didn’t have a policy about jerseys or anything,” said Dan Payne, an intramural sports graduate assistant. “Then, [the resistant bacteria] sort of came into the national spotlight. We adjusted by creating the new T-shirt policy. Every team has to wear the same colored jerseys to play in the game now.”

Unlike many staph infections transmitted through the skin, the resistant staph aren’t affected by many antibiotics usually administered to staph victims, and the infection can be fatal.

The infection starts off as small red bumps that, if left untreated, can infiltrate the body and infect bones and major organs. This disease has made its way from farms and rural areas to communities and hospitals, increasing the danger of infection.

The risk for students comes in the form of practice or scrimmage jerseys.

With hundreds of students using these jerseys at flag football, soccer, and several other intramurals sporting events, another student will sometimes use the same sweat-soaked jersey. This is what makes students susceptible to a staph infection.

But absent-minded students shouldn’t panic. Payne said that if students forget to bring their shirts on the day of a game, Recreational Services will provide matching shirts and wash them following the match.

Officials hope the policy prevents students from having to wear dirty and possibly contaminated jerseys that can house the resistant bacteria or other staph diseases.

Jonathan Hull, a senior at Iowa who plans to play intramural soccer this year, likes the new policy.

“Well, I had to wear those mesh jerseys for high-school soccer practices, and they always smelled really weird and felt gross, so I actually don’t mind having to get my own shirt,” he said. “I’d rather not have staph.”

The university has been lucky enough to keep its students healthy so far.

“We have been pretty fortunate to avoid this problem,” Payne said. “We implemented the policy at the right time.”

Playfully, he added: “It also helps us get around an extreme amount of laundry.”

Other places applying these types of policies include athletics-gear companies such as Schutt Sports, the world’s largest provider of football helmets and face guards.

The company’s new products are designed specifically to target the resistant staph and other bacteria that can build up on athletics equipment.

“We used the regular foam before and noticed it was breaking down, so we switched to SkyDex 2,” said Jane, a customer-service representative for Schutt Sports who declined to provide her last name. “It does not break down as easily and is easy to clean.”

But students don’t need top-dollar gear to avoid infection.

According to the website for the Mayo Clinic, several ways for people to protect themselves from the resistant bacteria and other types of staph include: washing hands, keeping wounds covered, showering immediately after sporting events, and using antibiotics properly.