A staph infection is caused by bacteria. This bacteria is very common and everyone has it on their skin, in their noses, and on other parts of their body. It's normal and usually it doesn't cause any problems. However, when a person gets too much staph bacteria on his or her skin, or when it enters the body through an open wound, it can cause an infection. In rare cases, these kinds of infections can be fatal, especially if they are resistant to antibiotics like the MRSA strain that is often talked about in medical news. People co-exist peacefully with all kinds of germs and bacteria for the most part, however, which means that you shouldn't be overly worried about getting sick from staph. It's just important to follow some basic hygiene rules like bathing regularly and making sure that you wash your hands before you eat, after you use the bathroom, and other times when they may be dirty, such as after changing a baby or coming into close contact with someone who is sick. Most staph infections are in the form of pimples and boils, and they don't cause much harm. The body fights them off and takes care of them without a serious problem.

Some people are natural carriers of more staph bacteria than others, and these people are more prone to getting skin infections because they carry so much bacteria around on their bodies. They can also pass that bacteria along to other people and make those people sick without meaning to. If you are one of these people or you live with one, it's very important that you keep yourself very clean, treat any cuts or abrasions promptly, and encourage good hygiene in all of those people around you to minimize the extent of the staph problem. The bacteria is particularly problematic in hospitals and can easily be spread from patient to patient from something as simple as forgetting to wash one's hands. Because staph infections can become serious, good hygiene is very important in any setting, but especially in hospitals and other areas where people may be more vulnerable to ill health.