Staph Aureus and Skin Infections

Cellulitis:
Many bacteria, including Staph, can cause skin infections which produce pockets of pus, often called "boils" or "abscesses". Sometimes these skin infections do not result in boils or abscesses, but instead cause the skin to be red, tender, and swollen. Doctors may diagnose this as "cellulitis", meaning inflamed, possibly infected tissue. Conditions like sun burns or bruises (which are obviously not infections) can be confused with cellulitis as they can also be red, tender, and swollen. If you think you have cellulitis, describing the activities and events leading up to your problem can help your doctor decide the best treatment for you. For more information on cellulitis, you can go here: Cellulitis

Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA):
"Staph bacteria" ( the full name is Staphylococcus aureus ) are one of the most common causes of skin infections in the United States. In recent years, some of these Staph bacteria have become resistant to many of the traditional antibiotics that had been effective in the past. Doctors use the expression "Methicillin Resistant Staph aureus" or "MRSA" when discussing these resistant bacteria. For more information on MRSA, you can click on the links below:
MRSA Fact Sheet from the Centers for Disease Control
Preventing Community Acquired MRSA
Staph/MRSA Skin Infections: Questions and Answers
Staph/MRSA Skin Infections - Spanish Version

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