In 1959, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) established a Staphylococcus Surveillance Unit to coordinate information, compile references, and review directives and reports on hospital-acquired infections. Staphylococcus aureus is a type of germ that about 30% of people carry in their noses. Most of the time, staph does not cause any harm; however, sometimes staph causes infections. In healthcare settings, these staph infections can be serious or fatal.