“Respiratory tract infections have been identified as the most common healthcare-associated infection in acute hospitals” (Gould, 2012). Many of these healthcare-associated respiratory infections are caused by MRSA. These infections can manifest in the nasal passages or in the lower parts of the respiratory system. When the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus enters the respiratory system either through breathing in the bacteria or through having a breathing tube placed during surgery, you are at risk for respiratory MRSA. People that have undergone major surgery and had a breathing tube placed for a long period of time are more at risk because they are unable to cough to displace the bacteria that has accumulated in the respiratory passages. Another
