Conceptual illustration of Staphylococcus aureus in a petri dish. Staphylococcus aureus is a gram-positive coccal bacterium that is a member of the Firmicutes,and is frequently found in the human respiratory tract and on the skin. Although S. aureus is not always pathogenic,it is a common cause of skin infections (e.g. boils),respiratory disease (e.g. sinusitis),and food poisoning. Disease-associated strains often promote infections by producing potent protein toxins,and expressing cell-surface proteins that bind and inactivate antibodies. The emergence of antibiotic-resistant forms of pathogenic S. aureus (e.g. MRSA) is a worldwide problem in clinical medicine. Each year,some 500,000 patients in United States' hospitals contract a staphylococcal infection | |
Licence : | Droits gérés |
Crédit: | Science Photo Library / Parker, David |
Taille de l’image : | 5910 px × 5910 px |
Model Release : | Non requis |
Property Release : | Non requis |
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