What Is Staphylococcus Aureus?

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a type of bacterium that lives on your skin and in your mucous membranes. Also known as “staph aureus,” this bacterium can infect open wounds or other skin lesions and cause anything from minor skin irritations (such as pimples, boils, and cellulitis) to severe infections such as pneumonia and meningitis that can potentially require surgery and aggressive antibiotic therapy. Statistics show that 500,000 people contract staph infections yearly in American hospitals, as S. aureus has become resistant to commonly used antibiotics. Staphylococcus aureus can spread from person to person through contact with pus from an infected wound, skin-to-skin contact with an infected person, and contact with objects like towels, sheets, clothing, or athletic equipment an infected person uses. To keep yourself as safe as possible from staph infections, it can help to know some information about them.

Types of Staphylococcus Aureus

One of the main types of staphylococcus aureus is methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a bacterium that has developed antibiotic resistance. MRSA first developed a resistance to penicillin in 1947 and later to methicillin. Popularly known as a “superbug,” MRSA first made its appearance in Britain in 1961 and is now widespread. While MRSA in an otherwise-healthy person is usually not dangerous, infection with this organism can be life threatening to people with deep wounds, intravenous catheters, or other foreign-body instrumentation. It can also be extremely dangerous to those with weak immune systems. In addition, research shows that MRSA causes up to 20 percent of staph infections in people that use intravenous drugs.

Treatment Options for Staphylococcus Aureus

In most cases, doctors prescribe antibiotics—both topical and oral—for staphylococcus aureus, which may or may not be effective depending on the type of infection you have and whether it is antibiotic-resistant. Unfortunately, antibiotic resistance occurs in about 50 percent of cases, in which case more severe treatment methods such as surgery may be necessary.

Staphylococcus aureus is a bacterium that lives on your skin and in mucous membranes. While normally harmless, this bacterium can be extremely dangerous if it infects an open wound. If you think you may be suffering from any type of infection or medical condition, you should contact your doctor immediately. He or she can examine you, provide you with an appropriate diagnosis, and recommend the best treatment plan for your specific situation.