A student at the Seneca Valley School District's secondary campus has been confirmed to be infected with methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, prompting school officials to warn parents and students on how to protect themselves.

Letters were sent home with students this week and posted on the distsrict's Web site, explaining the discovery and how to best prevent the bacteria from spreading.

Those who are around someone with MRSA need not panic that they will contract it automatically, said Dan Miller, a spokesman for the state Health Department.

"It requires close, skin-to-skin contact and must enter through a break in the skin, which is why athletes tend to get it more than anyone else," he said.

"The bacteria is becoming more and more frequent in community situations, like athletics," he said.

The key to prevention, Mr. Miller said, is to wash your hands frequently.

For more information, call the state health department at 877-PAHEALTH or visit its Web site at www.health.state.pa.us