MRSA

High school (ages 12+)
Human Body

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/mrsa

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the primary resistance gene?mecA, encoding for penicillin-binding protein PBP2a
2. What is the mobile genetic element?SCCmec (Staphylococcal Cassette Chromosome mec)
3. What is MRSA and why is it called a superbug?MRSA stands for methicillin‑resistant Staphylococcus aureus. It is a type of bacteria that has learned to ignore many common antibiotics, making it harder to treat.
4. How did MRSA become resistant to antibiotics?When doctors used a lot of penicillin and methicillin, the bacteria changed its genes. A special gene called mecA makes a protein that stops the antibiotics from working.

Beta-lactam antibiotics: A class of antibiotics, including penicillin and methicillin, that work by interfering with bacterial cell wall synthesis.
Penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs): Enzymes essential for bacterial cell wall synthesis that are targeted by beta-lactam antibiotics.
Healthcare-associated MRSA (HA-MRSA): MRSA strains predominantly found in hospital settings, often associated with severe infections.
Community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA): MRSA strains typically acquired outside of healthcare settings, often causing skin and soft tissue infections.