MRSA stands for Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, which is which?

• A. A virus
• B. A fungus
• C. A type of staph infection resistant to methicillin
• D. A parasite

Answer: (C)

MRSA stands for Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus, so it is a bacterium—specifically Staphylococcus aureus—that has become resistant to methicillin, an antibiotic in the beta-lactam family. Because of this resistance, it describes a staph infection that does not respond to methicillin and related antibiotics. It’s not a virus, fungus, or parasite, which is why antibiotics won’t treat those other types of organisms the same way. Infections can range from skin boils to more serious illnesses, and treatment depends on which antibiotics the bacteria are susceptible to. So, the best description is a type of staph infection that is resistant to methicillin.