Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are a type of staphylococcus or "staph" bacteria that are resistant to many antibiotics. Staph bacteria normally live on your skin and in your nose, usually without causing problems. Those who are especially weak / ill are more susceptible They only become a problem when they cause infection. MRSA infections are more difficult to treat because the strains of staph known as MRSA do not respond to many types of antibiotics-the types of medicines that are normally used to kill bacteria. MRSA bacteria are more likely to develop when antibiotics are used too often or are not used correctly. Given enough time, bacteria can outsmart antibiotics so that these medicines no longer work well. This is why MRSA and other antibiotic-resistant bacteria are sometimes called "super bugs."

What causes an infection? MRSA, like all staph bacteria, can be spread from one person to another through casual contact or through contaminated objects. It is commonly spread from the hands of someone who has MRSA. This could be anyone in the community. MRSA is usually not spread through the air like the common cold or flu virus, unless a person has MRSA pneumonia and is coughing.

MRSA used to infect people who had chronic illnesses, but now MRSA is becoming more common in healthy people. These infections can occur among people who are likely to have cuts/wounds or have close contact with one another, such as members of sports teams. This type of MRSA is called community-based methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA).

MRSA that is acquired in a hospital or health care setting is called hospital-based methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (HA-MRSA). In most cases, a person who is already sick or who has a weakened immune system becomes infected with HA-MRSA. These infections can occur in wounds or skin, burns, and IV or other sites where tubes enter the body, as well as in the eyes, bones, heart, or blood.

What are the symptoms of MRSA? Symptoms of a MRSA infection depend on where the infection is. If MRSA is causing an infection in a wound, that area of your skin may be red or tender. If you have pneumonia, you may develop a cough. Community-based MRSA commonly causes skin infections, such as boils, abscesses or cellulites. Often, people think they have been bitten by a spider or insect. Because MRSA infections can become serious in a short amount of time, it is important to see your doctor right away if you notice a boil or other skin problem. All of these MRSA infections can be very serious, even life threatening.
Treatments include long-term antibiotic therapy which may require IV administration.