|  

About the image

A Staphylococcus biofilm that has formed on the surface of a needleless connector. The stringy structures that have formed between cells are extracellular polymers, mainly polysaccharides, that surround the cells to form the biofilm. Staphylococcus species are ubiquitous on human skin, and are responsible for a variety of infections, including many sinus infections. In hospitals, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a significant pathogen in nosocomial infections. S. aureus is also associated with food poisoning and toxic shock syndrome.