T he dangers associated with the highly drug-resistant, sometimes fatal "superbug" known as MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) have been widely publicized.

MRSA, once a threat primarily in hospitals, long-term-care facilities and other health-care settings, is now appearing in a slightly mutated form in gyms, schools, military barracks and other settings where people may have skin-to-skin contact and/or share towels, linens or other items that can become contaminated. MRSA may turn life-threatening if the bacteria penetrate the skin, become blood-borne and reach other areas of the body, such as the heart or lungs.

What most people don’t realize: The skin can harbor dozens of infectious organisms.

Example: The average handprint on a dinner plate might contain up to 35 species of bacteria, viruses or fungi.

Most of these organisms are harmless -- and even those that are capable of causing disease are usually blocked from entering the body by the skin’s protective barrier and/or destroyed by immune cells just beneath the skin’s surface.

Danger: The skin typically has thousands of microscopic nicks or other openings that provide entry points for harmful germs -- even if you don’t have an obvious cut. To help prevent harmful bacteria from entering these tiny openings, wash your hands often with mild soap and warm water, and shave carefully. Infections to avoid... *

CELLULITIS

This skin infection, which can be mistaken for a scrape, bruise or spider bite, is caused by bacteria that enter the body through dry, flaky and/or cracked skin or other skin openings such as those caused by a cut, splinter or surgical wound.

Cellulitis typically occurs on the legs but can occur anywhere on the body -- even on your hand. The infection usually originates in the upper layers (the dermis and epidermis) of the skin but can also occur in deeper (subcutaneous) tissues, including the muscles and muscle linings. Infections in deeper tissues are more likely to cause serious symptoms and extensive tissue damage, such as severe swelling and pain, and formation of abscesses. Everyone is at risk for cellulitis, but those with weakened immunity (such as diabetes and dialysis patients) are at greatest risk.

What to look for: The affected area will be red, hot and tender. The redness spreads very quickly, and you may develop a fever (101°F or higher) and body aches. If the infection is severe, confusion or fecal incontinence also may occur. People with any of the severe symptoms described earlier should seek immediate medical care at a hospital emergency department.

Treatment: Oral antibiotics, such as dicloxacillin (Dycill) or cephalexin (Keflex). These are effective against Streptococcus and about half of the Staphylococcus organisms -- common causes of cellulitis -- and usually start to relieve symptoms within two days. Patients with more severe infections may require hospitalization and intravenous antibiotics.

To reduce your risk of developing cellulitis: Take a daily shower or bath. People who wash often and use plenty of mild soap are less likely to develop cellulitis or other skin infections.

NECROTIZING INFECTIONS

The media often refer to these infections as "flesh-eating." This isn’t entirely accurate. Several bacterial species can cause the necrosis (death) of infected tissue, but the bacteria don’t eat the flesh, per se. Rather, they secrete toxins that break it down.

Necrotizing infections are rare -- fewer than 1,000 cases occur each year in the US -- but the fatality rate is quite high at 25% to 30%. These infections spread very rapidly -- if you marked the edge of an infection with a pen, you might see the redness creep past the mark in as little as one hour.

What to look for: Skin redness and/or swelling that’s warm to the touch. The initial infection, which can follow even a minor cut or puncture wound, resembles cellulitis. But a necrotizing infection is far more painful. As the infection progresses, you may develop very large, fluid-filled purple blisters (bullae), a high fever (104°F or higher), disorientation and a rapid heartbeat. If you develop any of these symptoms, seek immediate medical attention at a hospital emergency department.

Treatment: Intravenous antibiotics and surgery, sometimes requiring amputation, to remove infected tissue.

To reduce your risk of developing a necrotizing infection: Thoroughly clean even minor cuts and scrapes. Apply an over-the-counter antibiotic ointment, such as Neosporin or bacitracin, and keep the area covered with a clean dressing until the area is completely healed.

FOLLICULITIS

This skin infection occurs at the root of a hair (follicle) and may produce a small pimple -- or, less often, a larger, more painful pimple called a boil. Folliculitis tends to be more common in people with diabetes (which reduces resistance to infection) and those who live in hot, humid climates (excessive perspiration promotes growth of the bacterium that causes folliculitis).

What to look for: A small, white pimple at the base of a hair. Boils, also called abscesses, are larger than pimples (sometimes an inch or more in diameter), with a greater volume of pus. They tend to be warmer than the surrounding skin and can be intensely painful.

Treatment: The small pimples caused by folliculitis often disappear on their own within several days. Applying a topical antibiotic several times a day can prevent the infection from spreading. Apply a warm, moist compress (for 15 minutes four times daily for one to two days) to tender pimples or boils to help them drain.

Painful or unusually large boils should be lanced, drained and cleaned by a doctor. Do not "pop" them yourself. The risk for infection is high -- and boils can be caused by MRSA. Antibiotics usually aren’t necessary when boils are professionally drained and cleaned.

To reduce your risk of developing folliculitis: Wash your hands several times daily with soap... and take a daily shower or bath. If you have chronic, recurrent boils, use antibacterial soap.

*To see examples of the many ways these infections can appear on the body, go to www.images.google.com and type in the name of each infection. Beware: Many of the images are graphic.