Two children diagnosed with MRSA

FITCHBURG, Mass. -- Two children have been diagnosed with Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA).

One of the children attends Reingold Middle School, but there is no information about the other child.

The Superintendent of Schools in Fitchburg sent parents a letter explaining the situation and an outline of precautionary measures to pass on to their children.

The school district is working with the Department of Public Health to review precautionary procedures.

The strain, which has been dubbed the superbug, is resistant to antibiotics. According to a 2007 study by the Centers for Disease Control, 100,000 Americans are infected with MRSA a year and 18,000 Americans are killed from the strain.

The bacteria that cause MRSA are most often spread through direct physical contact, or in some cases contact with contaminated surfaces. People who are sick are more susceptible to infection. Doctors say that keeping surfaces clean and washing your hands frequently is the best way to prevent getting sick.

(Copyright (c) 2008 Sunbeam Television Corp. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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