Video - Staphylococcus aureus

Staphylococcus aureus, also known as "staph," is a gram-positive, beta-hemolytic, catalase, and coagulase-positive bacteria, which is known to cause a wide range of infections in humans. Staph is normally part of the human normal skin and nasal flora, but if it overgrows or if the skin is damaged, then it can cause disease through direct colonization, toxin production, or both.

Staph is known to cause skin infections, organ abscesses, pneumonia, endocarditis, septic arthritis, and osteomyelitis. Staph infections are typically treated with antibiotics, but in some cases, the bacteria may be resistant to the antibiotics that are commonly used. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a type of staph that is resistant to many antibiotics and is a significant public health concern.