eswepe wrote:Staph is always around. It's sort of an opportunistic organism. Most people carry it in their noses - that's why you're supposed to put an antibiotic ointment in your nose before any surgery - it keeps the staph from migrating to your open wound. I get staph infections in the winter because it's so dry that I get nose bleeds - the cracks in my nose are enough for the staph to get in. It's pretty common (picking your nose can cause it, too, so don't). Anyway, some strains are worse than others and can kill you or make you get really sick. My cousin actually almost died from a staph infection last year. Scary stuff. It's all over us at all times, but just waits for the right opportunity to get in or for your immune system to be compromised (probably what's happening with Lynkie) or for someone to be exposed to a new strain they don't have immunity to. I'n not sure if the same staph that affects humans can also affect cats. I suspect not, but that's just a guess. I would think, like most organisms, they'd have to specialize.
I guess I'll stop picking my nose! 
Seriously--I didn't know that about staph being in the nose. Very interesting & good to know.
My nose gets messed up in the winter too & if I don't use the lotion kind of kleenex. Sometimes it get's messed up in the summer too. Hide me!
I hope Linkin fights the staph off.
, I mean Lynkin. 
