Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, also known as MRSA, is a bacterial infection that used to occur primarily in settings like hospitals and nursing homes, but is becoming more common in the general community. The Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) bacteria often enter a person's system through a cut or scrape in the skin. Thus, signs of an infection include a red bump that looks like a pimple, boil, or pustule. The skin may also be red, swollen, and tender.
The phrase "methicillin-resistant" means that the S. aureus bacteria have become impervious to the effects of the drug methicillin, which is a common antibiotic. Therefore, treatment for MRSA will be based on how severe the infection is and test results that show which other antibiotics will be effective against the bacteria, among other things.
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