Doctors say several hospitalized students infected with staph have also shown an antibiotic-resistant strain that is sometimes associated with serious skin problems and blood disorders.
Several of the schools where the infections have showed up are in Virginia, including a Newport News high school that reported four cases linked to its weight room.
The infections have forced districts to call off classes, cancel sporting events and disinfect entire buildings. Many of the infections are being spread in gyms and locker rooms, where athletes suffering from cuts or abrasions share sports equipment, the Associated Press reports.
In Virginia, a Newport News high school closed its weight room Thursday to be disinfected after at least four students were infected. One of the drug-resistant patients, a football player was hospitalized for three days.
The drug-resistant strain, called methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strain, or MRSA resists treatment with penicillin and related antibiotics but can be treated with other drugs.
The game of football at the high school in Galax, Va., was postponed on Friday because of an infection after school officials failed to clean the equipment in time for the game.
Several students in Bedford and Campbell counties also have been infected with staph and one Bedford student required hospitalization.
According to CDC, MRSA is spread mostly through personal contact, although sharing towels, razors or athletic equipment also can spread the bacteria. Frequent and thorough hand-washing is one of the most important preventive measures.
Other reported cacses of the infection have been reported in Maryland, western Ohio, North Carolina, Florida and New Rochelle, N.Y.
Staphylococcus aureus, often referred to simply as "staph," are bacteria commonly carried on the skin or in the nose of healthy people.
Approximately 25 to 30 percent of the population have bacteria present in their noses without causing an infection.
Sometimes, staph can cause an infection. These bacteria are one of the most common causes of skin infections in the United States. Most of these skin infections are minor, such as pimples and boils, and can be treated without antibiotics.
However, staph bacteria also can cause serious infections, such as surgical wound infections, bloodstream infections, and pneumonia.
