Schools in the Kent School District, US, are taking various precautionary efforts to prevent staph infections, since three people in this district were diagnosed with MRSA last week, according to media reports Monday. (photo: file photo from xinhua)

The most common forms of infection by MRSA (methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus) are skin infections that may appears as pustules or boils which often are red, swollen, painful, or have pus or other drainage.

MRSA can harbor on the patients' skin and on the surface of items they use. So the bacteria can be trasmitted by direct skin-to-skin contact or contact with shared items or surfaces that have come into contact with someone else's infection

In Tewksbury, teachers are asking children to wash their hands for as long as it takes to sing the alphabet song. 

Public health and education officials are stepping up prevention efforts in light of the increased awareness and are urging students to follow basic hygiene practices.

Kent School District officials consulted the health department and decided not to cancel classes at Kentlake and Mattson, district spokeswoman Becky Hanks said.

"We chose to use it as an opportunity to educate people," Hanks said.

MRSA is a type of infection-causing bacteria that is resistant to commonly used antibiotics, including methicillin, oxacillin, penicillin and amoxicillin.

Most infections are treatable with antibiotics or by draining the infection.

In 2006, there were at least 600 confirmed MRSA cases in children aged five to 18 in New York City.

Worldwide, an estimated 94,360 people had a serious MRSA infection in 2005, and 18,650 died.

(Agencies via Xinhua November 12, 2007)