MRSA, or Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, has been found in the sand and water at five Washington state beaches. MRSA used to be rarely seen outside of hospitals, but is now cropping up in public places.

This is significant because MRSA can be extraordinarily difficult to treat and are highly resistant to even the most powerful antibiotics (thus the name), causing infections that can progress to life-threatening illnesses.

You can find more about these findings, and how to protect yourself and your family, here.