Tags: Bacteria.
Staphylococcus aureus is a bacterium that is a member of the Firmicutes and is frequently found in the human respiratory tract and on the skin. Although S. aureus is not always pathogenic it is a common cause of skin infections (e.g. boils) respiratory disease (e.g. sinusitis) and food poisoning. Disease-associated strains often promote infections by producing potent protein toxins and expressing cell-surface proteins that bind and inactivate antibodies.
