What is Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus)?

About Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus):

• It is a type of gram-positive, sphere-shaped (coccal) bacteria.
• S. aureus may occur commonly in the environment. It is commonly found on the skinand in the nose of about 30% of individuals. 
• Most of the time, S. aureus does not cause any harm, but it can sometimes cause infections.
• Skin infections are common, but the bacteria can spread through the bloodstream and infect distant organs, particularly heart valves (endocarditis) and bones (osteomyelitis).
  • Skin infections may cause blisters, abscesses, and redness and swelling in the infected area.
• Transmission:
  • These bacteria are spread by having direct contact with an infected person, by using a contaminated object, or by inhaling infected droplets dispersed by sneezing or coughing.
  • Further, due to its ability to affect a wide range of species, S. aureus can be readily transmitted from one species to another. This includes transmission between humans and animals.
• Treatment:
  • Treatment usually involves antibiotics and cleaning of the infected area.
  • Some types of S. aureus are resistant to common antibiotic treatments.

Q1: What are antibiotics?

Antibiotics are medicines that fight bacterial infections in people and animals. They work by killing the bacteria or by making it hard for the bacteria to grow and multiply.

Source: Vancomycin may not be able to treat MRSA infections for long