Methicillin-resistenter Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)

MRSA can exist anywhere there is crowding, poor hygiene, and broken skin and it is transmitted most frequently by direct skin-to-skin contact. Something as simple as shaking hands can spread the bacteria. Hard surfaces, such as walls and floors, can also host the bacteria. The CDC describes the early onset of MRSA as an infected area appearing like a "spider bite," swollen, red in color, and draining.