Multiple LAPD officers may have contracted MRSA, Dr. Drew explains

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (FOX 11) - A number of Los Angeles police officers may have contracted MRSA, a highly contagious infection caused by staph, authorities said Tuesday.

"The health, safety, and wellbeing of our Los Angeles Police Department officers is critical and we are ensuring the officers exposed to this disease are cared for," LAPD Officer Drake Madison said in a statement. "First responders throughout the region and especially here in Los Angeles are constantly responding to incidents that put them at risk of potential exposure to various diseases, and that's why the Department takes this incident very seriously. All of the work areas that may have been exposed have been disinfected."

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The LAPD is awaiting test results before releasing how many officers were involved.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, is a cause of staph infection that can be difficult to treat due to its resistance to some antibiotics.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said staph infections -- including those linked to MRSA -- can spread in hospitals, other healthcare facilities, workplaces and schools.

Symptoms include rash, headaches, muscle aches, chills, fever, fatigue, cough, shortness of breath and chest pain.

CNS contributed to this report.