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ON THE COVER:
A scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteria fills an outline of the state of Wisconsin. MRSA is a gram-positive coccal bacterium that is a member of the Firmicutes, and is frequently found in the nose, respiratory tract, and on the skin. It is often positive for catalase and nitrate reduction and is a facultative aerobe that can grow without the need for oxygen. Although S. aureus is not always pathogenic, it is a common cause of skin infections such as abscesses, respiratory infections such as sinusitis, and food poisoning. Pathogenic strains often promote infections by producing potent protein toxins, and expressing cell-surface proteins that bind and inactivate antibodies. The emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains of S. aureus such as methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) is a worldwide problem in clinical medicine. Magnification is 35,000x at 15cm image size.
Image credits: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, SEM (Science Source image ID: SS21433652) by Nano Creative/Science Source. Science Source is a registered trademark of Photo Researchers, Inc. Image and text copyright © 2019 Photo Researchers, Inc. All rights reserved. Adapted with permission. Wisconsin state outline image created by Clker-Free-Vector-Images and used and adapted courtesy of Pixabay.
