Staph infection is the common name for an infection caused by the Staphylococcus bacteria. These bacteria can be harmless and it can also cause some very serious illnesses. Symptoms of illness caused by Staphylococcus can be so mild that you don’t even know you have and infection and it requires not treatment, to so bad that the infection can easily kill you.

The Greek language is the source of the scientific name for these bacteria - Staphyle: a bunch of grapes, and Kokkos: berries. This means bacteria which looks like either a bunch of grapes or berries when looked at under the microscope.