Staphylococcus aureus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Staphylococcus aureus |
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| Staphylococcus aureus Rosenbach 1985
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Staphylococcus aureus (say: staff-ill-oh-KOK-us AW-ree-us) is a common type of germ that can cause infections. It's shaped like a tiny ball and often lives harmlessly on people's skin or inside their noses. About one-third of people in the U.S. carry Staphylococcus aureus without even knowing it!
While it often doesn't cause problems, S. aureus can lead to different illnesses. These can range from small skin infections, like pimples or boils, to much more serious diseases that can be dangerous.
Doctors can treat S. aureus infections with special medicines called antibiotics. However, these germs can sometimes become resistant to antibiotics. This means the medicine no longer works to kill them. When S. aureus becomes resistant to a common antibiotic called methicillin, it's known as MRSA (methicillin-resistant S. aureus). MRSA infections are harder to treat because fewer antibiotics can fight them.
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What is Staphylococcus aureus?
Staphylococcus aureus is a type of bacterium. Bacteria are tiny living things, so small you need a microscope to see them. They are everywhere, and many are helpful. But some, like S. aureus, can cause sickness.
These bacteria often live on our skin or in our noses without causing any trouble. They are like quiet roommates! But if they get into a cut or a scrape, or if a person's immune system is weak, they can start to multiply and cause an infection.
How S. aureus Causes Infections
When Staphylococcus aureus gets into the body, it can cause different kinds of problems.
- Skin Infections: These are the most common. They can look like red, swollen, and painful bumps, sometimes with pus. Examples include boils, impetigo, or cellulitis.
- More Serious Illnesses: If the bacteria get deeper into the body, they can cause more serious infections. This might include infections of the bones, joints, heart, or lungs. These types of infections are much less common but can be very serious.
Treating Staphylococcus aureus
When someone gets an S. aureus infection, doctors usually prescribe antibiotics. These medicines are designed to kill bacteria or stop them from growing. It's very important to take all the medicine exactly as the doctor says, even if you start feeling better. This helps make sure all the bacteria are gone.
When Antibiotics Don't Work: MRSA
Sometimes, Staphylococcus aureus can change and become resistant to antibiotics. This means the antibiotics that usually work no longer affect them. One well-known example is MRSA.
MRSA stands for Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Methicillin was once a common antibiotic used to treat S. aureus. But over time, some S. aureus germs learned how to fight off methicillin and similar antibiotics.
Treating MRSA can be more challenging because doctors have fewer antibiotic options. It's a good reminder of why we should only use antibiotics when truly needed, to help prevent more germs from becoming resistant.
Images for kids
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Staphylococcus aureus growing on a special dish in a lab
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Different tests used to identify Staphylococcus aureus
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A close-up view of S. aureus cells under a microscope, showing their cluster shape
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Key features that help scientists identify Staphylococcus aureus
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A scanning electron microscope image showing clumps of MRSA bacteria
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S. aureus growing on a lab dish, producing a yellow color
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S. aureus bacteria seen in a sample from a person's lungs
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A very close-up image of S. aureus bacteria, which can cause infections in animals like cows
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How S. aureus reacts to different antibiotics
See also
In Spanish: Estafilococo áureo para niños
