Staph infection at a vaccination site resulting in cellulitis. Photo Credit: CDC/ Allen W. Mathies, MD, (Calif/EPO), Immunization Branch

Hundreds of people are searching the internet daily with questions like what does MRSA look like on a person or what does MRSA look like on human skin?

Below you'll see a complete selection of MRSA pictures (and Staph infection pictures) that will help you know what visible signs to look for. It's important to know that MRSA is a type of Staph bacteria, therefore pictures of Staph and MRSA photos can look identical.

What Does MRSA Look Like?

Looking at pictures of MRSA infection and pictures of Staph infection on skin can help you answer the question what does mrsa look like, but only a laboratory test can show whether you actually have MRSA or not.

So use the following MRSA photos and pictures of Staph infections as a helpful guide - not as a substitute for a bacterial culture or DNA test from your doctor to confirm what is causing your infection.

Click here to see more
MRSA pictures and
Pictures of Staph.

MRSA Staph Skin Infections: Boils, Blisters and Abscesses and More...

Staph infection and MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) are commonly visible as skin boils, blisters or pus-filled bumps. Swelling and reddening are common, and larger abscesses under the skin may form. In some cases, deeper more serious soft tissue infections such as cellulitis can occur. Cellulitis, boils and abscesses are more common with community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA) than health-care associated MRSA (HA-MRSA).

The yellow or white puss inside of bumps and boils often drains on its own without being lanced. Bumps and the surrounding area are often warm to the touch and can be very tender.

Signs and Symptoms

Cellulitis - an infection of the skin or the fat and tissue directly beneath the skin. Usually starts as small red bumps.
Boils - pus-filled infection in the hair follicles of the skin.
Abscesses - collections (one or more) of pus in under the skin.
Carbuncles - infections larger than an abscess, usually with several openings to the skin.
Impetigo - a skin infection with pus-filled blisters.

The infected areas are often pink, red or purple in color and can be swollen and painful as shown in the pictures of Staph and MRSA below. Click the blue link for more information on MRSA and Staph infection symptoms.

Staph infections and MRSA can show up anyplace on your body but are more common in the following specific areas:

Areas of clothing friction and irritation, such as the legs, buttocks and shaving areas
Sweaty areas like armpits, neck, face, groin and feet.
Deeper infections like cellulitis are most common on the arms, hands, lower legs and face.

Spider Bite or MRSA?

MRSA has branched out into the general population. It often infects people without warning, and is commonly mistaken as a spider bite.

MRSA skin infections are easily mistaken for a spider bite from the brown recluse spider. Photo Credit: CDC

MRSA and Staph infections can be easily mistaken for a brown recluse spider bite which can have a very similar appearance on your skin. Unless you saw a spider bite you, chances are good it's community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA) instead.

According to Tom Frank, Pharm.D., B.C.P.S., an assistant professor of family and community medicine at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, if you think it's a spider bite, get a culture test because what you are seeing is probably community-acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA).

According to Frank, of all the patients who believe they have a spider bite, "77 percent of patients presenting with soft-tissue infections are showing up with MRSA on culture."

If you believe you have a spider bite, consider visiting with your doctor or an infectious disease specialist (an I.D. doctor) to get a bacterial culture test to confirm what is causing your condition. To see pictures of Staph and to determine "what does MRSA look like", see images below.

When To See Your Doctor

If your infection does not go away after a few days, if it begins spreading, or if symptoms such as pain, fever or chills develop, consider seeing your doctor as soon as possible.

Did you know that taking antibiotics can
double your chances of getting MRSA?

Not all MRSA or Staph infections will require antibiotics, but some will. And, some strains of MRSA are now resistant to all antibiotics. Using the incorrect antibiotic can increase your chances of MRSA. Antibiotics should be used prudently, as their overuse and misuse has created antibiotic-resistant Superbugs like MRSA. Speak with your doctor if antibiotics are necessary or not and consider using Natural or Alternative methods alone or together with your antibiotics to improve your chances of beating your infection.

If you think you have Staph or MRSA, don't take chances with your health... become informed. Rates of Staph and MRSA infections are greatly underestimated and are spreading quickly. Even healthy people are catching these potentially deadly infections. And, Staph and MRSA are becoming resistant to many of the antibiotics available. Click here to learn what your doctor isn't telling you and discover ALL of the options available to you.

MRSA Pictures and Staph Infection Pictures

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Staph infection pictures - Staph on back

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Staph infection on tattoo

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