Staphylococcus. The group of bacteria known as staphylococcus, particularly Staphylococcus aureus, are one of the most common causes of human disease. Most staphylococci colonize the skin and mucous membranes of people without disease.hen bacteria is on the human body in the absence of disease, it is called a colonizer. However, people can get infected from pathogenic bacteria from food, water, abrasions and other wounds and even from colonizing bacteria if it gets into a normally sterile part of the body.