Q: Do staph bacteria cause infections?

A: Sometimes they do. They are among the most common causes of minor skin infections (such as pimples and boils) in the United States. Occasionally the infections are serious - such as at surgical wounds or in the bloodstream.

Q: How are they treated?

A: Minor staph infections

do not call for antibiotics; antibacterials or antimicrobials do the job. Serious infections require drugs - the class known as antibiotics.

Q: What is MRSA?

A: About 1 percent of the population carries staph bacteria that have developed resistance to certain antibiotics. Like other staph, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, often lives in the nose, throat and skin without causing infection.

But if it gets into the body, typically through a cut or scrape, it can cause potentially serious infections.

Q: What are symptoms of an MRSA infection?

A: MRSA should be suspected in skin or soft-tissue infections that are swollen, inflamed and painful. In the beginning, such infections might resemble a pimple or boil; many are initially mistaken for spider bites. If the infection becomes invasive, potentially serious symptoms can include fever, chills, and shortness of breath. An MRSA infection can be confirmed only through a skin or blood culture, and requires treatment with several antibiotics.

Q: How is it transmitted?

A: MRSA is most often spread by skin-to-skin contact, touching a contaminated surface, or through the sharing of personal items such as towels and razors.

Q: How can MRSA be prevented?

A: Vigorous and frequent hand-washing is the most effective way to stop MRSA transmission. Cuts and scrapes should be kept clean and covered with a bandage until healed. Health experts also discourage the sharing

of personal items.

Q: How about antibacterials?

A: It is believed that the widespread use of antibacterials actually has played a significant role in the development and spread of drug-resistant bacteria. For that reason, they discourage the use of antibacterials except in situations (hospitals, for example) where the risk is especially high.