Community Aquired Methicillin- Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus(MRSA): Concern about the rising number of cases of methicillin- resistant staph infections in our community recently peaked with the tragic death of a thirteen year old boy on our community. In the past MRSA was usually seen in seriously ill, hospitalized patients who had indwelling catheters or other sources of entrance into the body. More recently we are seeing cases of methicillin-resistant staph in the community involving relatively simple skin infections(bites,scabs,scrapes) that linger and do not respond to traditional antibiotics like methicillin or cephalexin(keflex) . Many of these infections do, however, respond to older antibiotics like bactrim and clindamycin. A few are highly resistant and only respond to intravenous antibiotics. MRSA is rarely fatal! If your child has any scabbed wound or oozing lesion or significant redness call our office so a culture can be obtained.