Staph germs spread in kids Article in the Ithaca Journal on January 20, 2009 The Associated Press Chicago - Researchers say they found an "alarming" increase in children's ear, nose and throat infections nationwide caused by drug-resistant staph germs. Other studies have shown rising numbers of skin infections in adults and children caused by these germs, nicknamed MRSA, but this is the first nationwide report on how common they are in deeper tissue infections in the head and neck, the study authors said. The study found a total of 21,009 pediatric head and neck infections caused by staph germs from 2001 through 2006. The percentage caused by hard-to-treat MRSA bacteria more than doubled during that time from almost 12 percent to 28 percent. "In most parts of the United States, there's been an alarming rise," said study author Dr. Steven Sobol, a children's head and neck specialist at Emory University. The study appears in January's Archives of Otolaryngology. MRSA, or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, can cause dangerous, life-threatening infections, and doctors believe inappropriate use of antibiotics has contributed to its rise. MRSA infections were once limited mostly to hospitals, nursing homes and other health-care settings, but other studies have shown they are increasingly picked up in the community, in otherwise healthy people. And other studies have shown that the number of people who carry MRSA germs is also on the rise. MRSA does not respond to penicillin-based antibiotics, and doctors are concerned that it is becoming resistant to others. The End * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From: "A Fight Chance - How to Win the War Against Bacteria, Viruses & Mold With Silver" by Dr. Gordon Pedersen Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus On any given day in America there are 30,000 new cases of MRSA. This is a bacterial staph infection that has become resistant to our antibiotics. It can affect the skin, eyes, or any other part of the body. It can be fatal. Silver Sol gel and Silver Sol liquid have been tested and documented to destroy MRSA and staph infections. To prevent these infections, drink one teaspoon of liquid Silver Sol twice a day and apply Silver gel to the hands at least twice a day. MRSA can enter any wound and all of us have some form of staph bacteria on our skin at any given time. By using public restrooms, shaking hands, hugging, kissing, or any other skin to skin contact, you may be at risk of getting or sharing staph MRSA infections.