Staphylococcus aureus

(Staff-ill-oh-cock-us or-ree-us)

A coccus that grows in grape-like clusters.

Staphylococcus aureus is a normal member of the microbiota of the body, and can be found in the throat, the nose and the skin. However, some strains can cause infections like abscesses, respiratory infections and food poisoning.

The emergence of antibiotic-resistant S. aureus ‘superbugs’ , especially the methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), has become a global problem in the clinic.