Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a disease caused by a bacterium. The S. aureus bacteria typically enter a person's system through a cut or scrape in the skin. Transmission can occur through direct skin-to-skin contact or contact with a surface that is infected with the bacteria.
While it certainly is a contagious disease, MRSA is more likely to occur in some situations than in others. For example, factors that make it easier for MRSA to be transmitted include:
- Crowding
- Frequent skin-to-skin contact
- Compromised skin (cuts or abrasions)
- Contaminated items and surfaces
- Lack of cleanliness.
Not everyone who has MRSA will actually develop an infection. This is known as colonization. What is this? Colonization means that a person is carrying a specific type of bacteria but does not have any signs or symptoms of illness that this particular bacterium can cause.
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