What Does MRSA Look Like

Last reviewed: April 2026

Sometimes things are not what they seem. A visitor commented that he thought his wife had been bitten by a brown recluse, but it turned out to be an MRSA Staph Infection. It looked just like a bite.

Here is information on this infection that can mimic a spider bite. Want to see what happens when a bite gets infected? Check out our section on Staph Infection.

What is Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus?

This is what MRSA looks like after healing.

Staphylococcus aureus, commonly called staph, is a bacteria found on the skin and in the nose of many healthy people. It can also grow in wounds or other parts of the body, where it sometimes causes infection. Staph is one of the most common causes of skin infections.

For a long time, Penicillin was the standard treatment for staph infections. Over time, many strains of staph became resistant to Penicillin and related antibiotics. Those resistant strains are what is now called Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, or MRSA. The infections it causes are the same as ordinary staph. The difference is in how they have to be treated.

How MRSA Spreads and Who Is at Risk

In the early stages, MRSA looks like ordinary staph and usually causes no problems unless it gets into an opening in the skin. Once it does, it can cause a skin infection that is harder to treat than a standard staph infection.

MRSA is most common in hospitals and healthcare settings, but it also occurs outside of those environments, particularly in people who have had repeated antibiotic use or who have been in close contact with someone carrying the bacteria. It spreads through direct contact with infected people or contaminated surfaces and objects, including:

• Clothing, towels, and bedding
• Athletic equipment
• Benches in saunas or hot tubs
• Bandages or wound dressings

MRSA is not spread through the air.

Many people carry staph bacteria on their skin without knowing it. When MRSA does cause a skin infection, symptoms typically include redness, warmth, pus, and a wound that does not heal the way it should. Your doctor may describe these as boils, furuncles, impetigo, or abscesses. In more serious cases, infection can spread to the blood, bone, bladder, or lungs, with symptoms that include fever and pain at the site of infection.

Think you have MRSA?

If you think you have MRSA or another staph infection, see your healthcare provider. It can be difficult to tell what MRSA looks like just by looking at it, and the only reliable way to know whether you need treatment is to get tested. Do not wait on this.

MRSA and other staph infections are treatable. Some skin infections are handled simply by draining the sore and keeping the wound clean. More severe cases may require antibiotics. If your provider prescribes antibiotics, finish the full course even if the infection appears to be improving, and call your doctor if things do not get better.