Cats and dogs are giving more pet owners a staph infection resistant to certain antibiotics, according to a recent study.

Doctors from the University of South Florida College of Medicine in Tampa say the transmission of MRSA is on the rise, due to animal bites and scratches. The results were released in the July issue of The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

Though local veterinarians say that MRSA can be contracted from animal to human, they stress that MRSA is also contracted from human to animal.

''Dogs and cats are getting it from people,'' said Tate Posey, a veterinarian with Promenade Animal Hospital in Palm Beach Gardens. ``Most of what we are seeing is an increased amount of MRSA in dogs.''

Posey said that dogs used for hospital and nursing home visits test positive for MRSA more often then other animals. And that could be because MRSA can be contracted from people who have open wounds or scratches.

Michelle Miller, chief veterinarian at the Melvin J. and Claire Levine Animal Care Complex in the Palm Beach Zoo, said those with weak immune systems can get the infection.

''Certainly dog and cat bites and scratches can be serious,'' Miller said, adding, ``I don't want people to think they're going to get MRSA from their pets. More commonly people get it because they're carrying it themselves.''

Inga Hanley, founder and operator of the Adopt-A-Cat Foundation shelter in Lake Park, handles cats every day and says she has never gotten sick from a cat bite or a scratch.

MedlinePlus, a service from the National Library of Medicine, states that personal hygiene is key to avoiding MRSA infections. Tips include washing your hands, especially if visiting someone in a hospital or long-term care facility; not sharing personal items such as razors because MRSA can be transmitted through contaminated items; and avoiding whirlpools or saunas if another person in them has an open sore.

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