Two members of the Los Angeles Police Department in Reseda were recently exposed to MRSA, a potentially deadly bacterial infection that can be difficult to treat.
An officer and a lieutenant at the LAPD's West Valley Community Police Station got sick, said an official familiar with the situation who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak on the record. He said the two have received medical treatment.
The exposure happened "a few days back," according to a department spokesman. The LAPD has not provided information on the officers' conditions.
All work areas at the station that might have been exposed have been disinfected, the LAPD said in a statement. The official familiar with the situation said that included patrol cars.
MRSA, or Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, is resistant to some antibiotics and can cause serious staph infections that can lead to sepsis and death.
"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," the statement said.
Frank Stoltze contributed to this story.
UPDATES:
3:25 p.m.: This article was updated to reflect that two officers were infected.
