Are we closer to death than we’d like to think? Life seems to be a matter of the statistical roll of the dice. But did you know that there are seemingly innocuous conditions and situations that can get you into deadly trouble?

Can a pus-filled boil be a sign of something toxic circulating through your body? What about a simple infection as a urinary tract infection or Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS)? Can they take you to the grave? What about a lonely drive in the country? In some cases, yes, indeed.

1. Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). This bacteria causes various illnesses such as boils, cellulitis, pneumonia, blood poisoning and Toxic Shock Syndrome. Cellulitis, in this case, isn’t unsightly fat deposits on thighs; it is a non-contagious spreading bacterial infection of the skin and the tissues below it.

Groups vulnerable to a staph infection are newborns, people with chronic conditions such as cancer, vascular disease, lung disease, dialysis and surgical patients, and breastfeeding women.

Symptoms of a staph infection typically start as a localized skin infection. It usually is a pustule with tenderness and redness around the swollen area. Staph-related illnesses range from mild, requiring no treatment, to death.

We now introduce MRSA, methicillin-resistant S. aureus. Methicillin and any other antibiotics in that class, including penicillin, are not effective against this particular staph strain. This, in medical parlance, is a “superbug.” MRSA is also known as a health care-associated infection (HAI) because so many cases have been associated with hospitals, nursing homes and other health-care facilities. In 2012, the number of MRSA cases topped 75,000.