Many people have heard about MRSA but are not exactly sure what it is. The acronym MRSA stands for
methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus -- a strain of bacteria known to cause
staph infections that are resistant to antibiotic treatment, especially treatment with methicillin.
MRSA transmission occurs in a couple of ways. Mainly, it is spread between individuals through direct skin-to-skin contact. Transmission can also occur through contact with shared items or surfaces that have come into contact with someone else's infection, such as towels.
It is possible to be a carrier of MRSA without actually developing symptoms (up to 2 percent of the population is estimated to carry a MRSA infection without knowing it). When symptoms do occur, they typically affect the skin and can include things like a red bump or a cluster of red bumps that resemble a pimple or boil.
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