Nickname: Staph epi

Morphology: Gram-positive cocci in grape-like clusters

Habitat: Lives on the human body, especially on the skin and in the nose; it also lives on animals.

Disease or illness: It normally does not cause infection.

Who is at risk: Hospitalized patients – when medical devices are used to enter sterile areas of the body

Avoidance techniques: Do not allow the bacteria to get into sterile areas of the body, like the urinary tract or the blood stream.

“I hang out on your arm, but I mean you no harm”