What illnesses are caused by Staphylococcus aureus?
Staphylococcus aureus causes abscesses, boils, and it can infect wounds — both accidental wounds such as grazes and deliberate wounds such as those made when inserting an intravenous drip or during surgery. These are called local infections. It may then spread further into the body and cause serious infections such as bacteraemia (blood poisoning). Staphylococcus aureus can also cause food poisoning.