MRSA stands for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, because this particular strain of staph bacteria is resistant to the broad-spectrum antibiotics commonly used to treat staph infections, including methicillin. MRSA has been called a “superbug” by the media because of its ability to evade destruction by commonly used antibiotics.

MRSA is not fundamentally different from other strains of staph bacteria; it is not more virulent or longer-lived. However, because MRSA does not respond to common antibiotics, MRSA infections can cause serious complications if the infection is not treated properly. In fact, MRSA infections are now responsible for more deaths in the United States each year than AIDS.MRSA infections can be successfully treated, but it requires the use of powerful and toxic antibiotics.

Until recently MRSA infections were almost exclusively contracted in hospitals and other healthcare settings, but MRSA infections contracted outside of hospitals are becoming more common.