• Question: what does MRSA stand for

    Asked by 925utec48 to Paul, MarthaNari, Jonny, Hannah, Alison on 12 Jun 2015.
    • Photo: Paul Brack

      Paul Brack answered on 12 Jun 2015:

      Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
      Staphylococcus aureus is a bacteria; methicillin is a drug. So basically methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is a type of bacteria which we can’t kill using the common antibiotic drugs which you might get from your doctor, like penicillin.

    • Photo: Martha Havenith

      Martha Havenith answered on 12 Jun 2015:

      Building on what Paul said, that’s the reason MRSA goes around a lot in hospitals – lots of antibiotics (so lots of chances for bacteria to become resistant) and lots of sick/weakened people (so a big playground for the bacteria once they’ve become resistant).

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