Staph infection, also known as methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection, is an infection with a
strain of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria that is resistant to
common antibiotics like methicillin as well as others like
amoxicillin and penicillin. The infection is usually acquired in
hospitals and healthcare facilitities, but can also be acquired
by anyone in the general community. Staphylococcus aureus, often
called "staph", are common bacteria that normally live
harmlessly on the skin and sometimes the nasal passages. An
infection can develop when staph bacteria enter the skin through
a cut or sore, or when the bacteria move inside the body through
a catheter or breathing tube. The infection can be minor and
easily treated or more serious, causing infections of the
bloodstream, surgical sites, or pneumonia, so it's important to
contact your health care provider as soon as symptoms develop.
Roughly 30 percent of the U.S. population has staph bacteria
living harmlessly in their nasal passages