RICHMOND -- Recent outbreaks of a drug-resistant staph infection among students have focused attention on the cleanliness of public schools, but school environments have little to do with transmitting the bacteria, a Virginia Department of Health official said Friday.

Cases of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus -- or MRSA -- have alarmed school communities and parents, particularly since the death last week of a Bedford County teenager who, according to his mother, had been diagnosed with an invasive form of the infection. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also released a study last week identifying MRSA as a major public health problem.

Bedford County closed schools for cleaning for one day following the student's death, and schools throughout the state made efforts to sanitize athletic facilities and common areas.

But state epidemiologist Dr. Carl Armstrong said students with MRSA infections likely acquire the organism elsewhere.

"It's important to maintain cleanliness, especially with things that might be shared in the locker room among athletes," Armstrong said during a briefing at the state health department in Richmond. "But, in general, the emphasis on the environment has been overemphasized. Most of these cases are transmitted directly, person-to-person."

MRSA is a common form of bacteria often found on the skin or in the nose of healthy people. It can cause infection if it invades wounds or other openings in the skin. Over time, it has become resistant to penicillin and related forms of antibiotics.

"It's important to keep the locker room clean, yes," Armstrong said. "But this is not an organism that's going to jump off the top of the locker and infect you. It's not going to come off the blinds and infect you."

Concerns about MRSA intensified last week following the death of Ashton Bonds, a 17-year-old Staunton River High School student. Health officials have not concluded that MRSA caused Ashton's death, but his mother said he had been hospitalized with the infection.

A group of Bedford County parents pressed the school board Thursday night to provide better information about such infections and to improve sanitary conditions in schools.

Gov. Tim Kaine on Wednesday approved an emergency regulation requiring laboratories to report cases of invasive MRSA infections to the health department. The reporting requirement will allow health officials to compile data on severe MRSA infections and track any patterns of outbreaks.

The health department also has stepped up efforts to educate the public about MRSA and emphasize prevention measures. Among other things, health officials encourage frequent hand washing, covering open wounds and not sharing personal items, such as towels, razors or athletic equipment.

State Superintendent for Public Instruction Billy Cannaday last week advised school superintendents to consult with local health departments about steps to control and prevent MRSA, particularly before making a decision to close schools.

State health and education officials are not second-guessing precautionary steps such as Bedford County's decision to close schools for cleaning Oct. 17.

"Maybe it was necessary to show the community and reassure the community that, not only is everything being done, but more than everything is being done," said Department of Education spokesman Charles Pyle.

Armstrong said the initial response of schools and parents is understandable.

But, he added, "From a purely scientific standpoint, it's usually not necessary, in order to control this disease, to close schools or do any kind of fancy fumigation, disinfection of ceilings and drapes and everything like that. The important thing is education of the students, teachers and especially the athletes."

The health department has additional information about MRSA available on its Web site, vdh.virginia.gov.