What is MRSA?
October 31, 2007
What is MRSA?
MRSA stands for “ methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.”
MRSA is a kind of Staphylococcus aureus (“staph”) bacteria, that is resistant to some kinds of antibiotics. It is resistant to a family of antibiotics related to penicillin that includes antibiotics called methicillin and oxacillin, and is often resistant to many other antibiotics as well.
Pronunciation: MRSA is sometimes said as a single word, “mersa,” or by saying all four letters, “M-R-S-A.” Either way is correct.
MRSA is a bacterium that is resistant to some kinds of treatment.
To understand MRSA it is helpful to learn about Staphylococcus aureus (“staph”) bacteria, because MRSA is a kind of staph.
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