What is MRSA? -- Who is most likely to get an MRSA infection? -- How do I get an MRSA infection? -- Can MRSA infections be treated? -- What are some of the things that hospitals are doing to prevent MRSA -- infections? -- What can I do to help prevent MRSA infections? -- Can my friends and family get MRSA when they visit me? -- What do I need to do when I go home from the hospital?

Staphylococcus aureus (pronounced staff-ill-oh-KOK-us AW-ree-us), or "Staph" is a very common germ that about 1 out of every 3 people have on their skin or in their nose. This germ does not cause any problems for most people who have it on their skin. But sometimes it can cause serious infections such as skin or wound infections, pneumonia, or infections of the blood. Antibiotics are given to kill Staph germs when they cause infections. Some Staph are resistant, meaning they cannot be killed by some antibiotics. "Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus" or "MRSA" is a type of Staph that is resistant to some of the antibiotics that are often used to treat Staph infections.

Stephen B. Thacker CDC Library collection