Can You Spread a Staph Infection to Another Person?
Staphylococcus infections ("staph" for short) are caused by
Staphylococcus bacteria. There are several different types of
Staphylococcus bacteria that can cause infections in humans
(see Staph Infection Causes). In most cases, they cause skin infections; however, staph bacteria can also cause more serious infections.
This group of bacteria has gained a lot of interest in the past several years because of methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus (
MRSA for short). This type of
staph infection has gone from being a controllable condition to a serious public health concern.
Staph infections are most frequently transmitted by direct skin-to-skin contact with someone who has an active infection. They may also be spread through contact with someone who is a carrier of the bacteria (colonized) or by touching shared items or surfaces that have come into contact with someone else's infection (such as a towel or used bandages).
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