Skin Infections and MRSA

1) What is Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus)?

Skin infections start when bacteria get into a cut or scrape. Bacteria live on everyone's skin and usually causes no harm. But when Staphylococcus bacteria get into your body through a break in the skin, they can cause a "staph" (Pronounced - staff) infection.

Staphylococcus aureus, often referred to simply as "staph," are bacteria commonly carried on the skin or in the nose of healthy people. Staph bacteria are one of the most common causes of skin infection in the United States and have been around for a long time, causing mild to severe illness. About one-third of the people in the world have S. aureus bacteria on their bodies at any given time. The bacteria can be present without causing an active infection. Of the people with S. aureus present, about 1 percent has MRSA, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Most of these skin infections are minor (such as pimples or boils and can be red, swollen, painful, or have pus or other drainage) and can be treated without antibiotics (also known as antimicrobials or antibacterials). However, staph bacteria also can cause serious infections - such as surgical wound infections, bloodstream infections, and pneumonia.

What is Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)?
Some staph bacteria are resistant to antibiotics. MRSA is a type of staph that is resistant to antibiotics called beta-lactams. Beta-lactam antibiotics include methicillin and other more common antibiotics such as oxacillin, penicillin and amoxicillin.

1) What is S. aureus and MRSA

2) Who Gets it?

3) What's it Look Like?

4) Who's at Increased Risk?

5) Diagnosis

6) Treatment

7) Prevention

8) Can I Get a Staph or MRSA Infection at a Health Club?

9) History of S. aureus and MRSA

10) Common Skin Infections

References:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
www.cdc.gov/
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
www3.niaid.nih.gov/