how to tell it's MRSA?

[Guest guest]

Allie thinks it's hilarious for the cats to scratch her, needless to

say she loves to take them to Lollipop (our remaining dog), who the

cats are terrified of. After showing us the scratches like a badge of

pride, she then picks at the wounds. I noticed the last couple of days

2 of the scratches looked infected, I put bandaids on them. This

morning she had a high fever & slight cough. I asked her where it hurt

& she said, " hand " and held up her hand with the scratch. I didn't

know if she was getting the flu with the slight cough & stopped up

nose, or if she was developing MRSA. I remembered during microbiology

we tested a number of bacteria & classes of antibiotics. I'm sure we

didn't have MRSA, but across the board iodine was by far the best at

killing the bacteria. So, I got out the iodine & put on her hand &

leg. She just got up talking a storm, a sign she's coming out of the

fever.

I'm sitting here wondering if she does/did have a respiratory bug or

if it may be MRSA. I know the only way to know for sure is to get her

tested, but I figured having cuts in a doctors office would be begging

for it, lol. I also didn't want antibiotics " just in case " and our

ped is known to hand it out like candy. I guess since she appears to

be getting better, esp at nightfall when kids tend to get sicker, I'll

just keep doing what I'm doing?

Would MRSA present like I just described?

Debi