What is MRSA?

MRSA (sometimes referred to as the 'superbug') stands for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. It is a bacterium from the Staphylococcus aureus family.

Staphylococcus aureus (SA) is a type of bacteria. About 1 in 3 of us carries it on the surface of our skin or in our nose without developing an infection - this is known as being 'colonized' by the bacteria.

However, if SA bacteria get into the body through a break in the skin they can cause infection. SA is a very common cause of boils, impetigo and abscesses. Less commonly, SA bacteria can get into the bloodstream and cause more serious infections like septicemia (blood poisoning) and heart -valve infection (endocarditis).

MRSA bacteria are resistant to some of the antibiotics that are commonly used to treat infection, including methicillin (a type of penicillin originally created to treat SA infections).