That's No Spider Bite: Antibiotic Resistant Staph Infections Now Very Common

Once it takes hold, it is easily transmitted among family members, co-workers or schoolmates. And because doctors often unwittingly prescribe an ineffective antibiotic -- which occurred 57 percent of the time in the study -- it often lingers.

A 'Major Problem' for Kids

"MRSA has blossomed over the last few years," said Dr. John J. Messmer, an associate professor of family and community medicine at Penn State College of Medicine. "As the study discussed, staph organisms transfer the genetic ability to resist antibiotics to one another."

While the infection can hit anyone, it is a "major problem" among kids, said Dr. William Schaffner, chairman of the department of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville.

"About six years ago, Vanderbilt investigators cultured the noses of many healthy Nashville children -- only 1 percent carried MRSA," Schaffner said. "When the study was repeated in 2004, 9 percent were carriers. You can see that the problem has exploded."

Solid numbers on MRSA are hard to come by. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention doesn't require that doctors report community-acquired MRSA infections the way they're required to with most communicable diseases.

This infuriates Joy Smith of Stevenson, Ala., whose grandson has MRSA in both of his ears, which came from having tubes placed in his ears.

"This is something that the public needs to be more aware of, and the medical community needs to take a more proactive approach," she said.

'I Was in Excruciating Pain'

To determine if an infection is indeed MRSA, a skin culture must be taken. While this shows exactly which type of bacteria has infected the skin and which antibiotics can still kill it, it can take several days before laboratory results are conclusive.

"Many docs still are treating soft tissue infections using antibiotics that used to work very well," Schaffner said, noting that the new study does give a detailed description of which antibiotics do seem to still be effective in treating MRSA. "It is a matter of re-educating the profession."