Warning: Images within this article are graphic. Staph or as it is more specifically known, Staphylococcus aureus, is a bacteria that can be found on the skin of healthy humans; however strains exist that are dangerous to people as well. Everyone may remember from history class that Sir Alexander Fleming first made the observation regarding the effectiveness of penicillin as a treatment for bacteria infections. Alexander Fleming discovered that in containers where the mold Penicillium notatum grew, the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus was unable to also grow.

Though penicillin has been used to treat bacteria, there are cases where bacteria has become resistant to treatment. MRSA which stands for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is a bacteria that has been unresponsive to typical treatments. Unfortunately, these cases have plagued health facilities and public areas for years, typically attacking individuals with weak immune systems.

A student at Phillips Elementary School in Marietta, Ohio, was recently sent home after being diagnosed with a MRSA infection. The student remained absent from school while the infection healed. Principal Joe Finley shared with The Marietta Times, “We make sure that the room is completely sanitized on a regular basis.” The classroom area was sanitized as a result, and students who were placed within close proximity of the student were appropriately notified of the condition.

The following is a photograph of a MRSA infection that was noted on a prison inmate.

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The following picture, though graphic in nature, shows the extreme situation an infection can reach.

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Fortunately, a recent study revealed that these types of infections have decreased in recent years. Dr. Raymund Dantes, a representative from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) who was involved in the study recently shared the positive news. “The good news is the most serious kind of infection that lands people in hospitals and kills people is going down in the U.S.,” he said.

[Images Via Wikimedia Commons Janice Carr from the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention/ Bruno Coignard, M.D.; Jeff Hageman, M.H.S. from the CDC/ and Jbtank]