What are the dangers of a Staphylococcus aureus infection?

Dear Ask The Doctor: What causes Staphylococcus aureus? how can be cured? and is it dangerous?

Staphylococcus aureas is an organism that normally resides on human skin. It commonly causes a variety of skin infections; more serious infections are those that involve the heart (endocarditis), lungs (pneumonia), brain (meningitis), to name a few. Oral antibiotics are used for the more common skin infections. For the serious ones, hospitalization and intravenous antibioitics may be needed, per case to case basis. If treated promptly, infections can be controlled. If not, it can potentially invade the blood and can have serious consequences. It is rarely dangerous in individuals who are immunocompetent (intact immune system) as compared to those who are immunocompromised (relatively weak or resistant immune system e.g. newborns, elderly, etc). I do hope this helps and take care always.