MRSA bacteria are pathogenic. This group of bacteria belongs to Staphylococcus aureus family, which have grown resistant to methicillin-type antibiotics. MRSA stands for

M - methicillin R - resistant S - Staphylococcus A – aureus

Staphyloccocus aureus bacteria are often carried on people's skin and sometimes in their noses and back of their throats. People carrying the bacteria who are healthy are said to be colonized, but not infected. The bacteria, however, can cause serious infections, such as pneumonia, blood, bone and surgical wound infections, as well as less serious infections such as impetigo, cellulitis and small abscesses or boils under the right conditions.