Giant Microbes - MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus)

Staphylococcus aureus is a very common bacteria often found growing harmlessly on the skin. Although originally responsive to penicillin, strains soon emerged that were resistant to the antibiotic. When a derivative of penicillin called methicillin was developed to combat these strains, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) materialized. And the antibiotic resistance of MRSA-strains continues to improve: some strains of this “superbug” are now resistant to virtually all known treatments.

The best way to prevent the spread of MRSA is simple attention to hygiene, particularly hand-washing. It is also critical to complete doses of prescribed antibiotics: if you stop as soon as you feel better, you may have dispatched only the weaker bacterial strains, allowing the deadlier ones to survive and flourish.

So be a superhero: stay clean and follow your doctor’s orders.

Giantmicrobes are based on actual microbes, cells, organisms and other critters, only 1,000,000 times actual size! Each plush microbe includes a printed card with fun, educational and fascinating facts about the actual microbe or cell.