JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A thorough disinfecting process began Thursday at an Avondale elementary school after a student was hospitalized with a suspected case of staph infection that has been popping up in schools across the country.

Duval County School District spokeswoman Jill Johnson confirmed that precautions were being taken at Fishweir Elementary School against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA.

School officials said a second-grade student was taken to a hospital and released. The child's parent informed the principal that a hospital diagnosed the child's infection as MRSA.

Johnson said doctors at a hospital saw the student on Wednesday and on Thursday the child was treated by a family physician.

The health departmechool officials, as well as parents of children from Fishweir are eagerly waiting to hear test results to know whether the student is infected with the superbug.

The results could be released as early as Friday. The Health Department will not be confirming the case because it will only confirm if multiple cases are involved.

Nonetheless, a letter was sent home with students on Thursday explaining the infection and precautions.

About a dozen workers inside the school went from classroom to classroom, disinfecting all surfaces as a precaution.

"We've cleaned all the desks, all the common areas, doorknobs and also working to clean the bathrooms and any other common areas the child might have been," Johnson said.

Health officials said any child with a skin lesion, a boil, or redness or puss coming out of a wound should be checked by a physician or health care provider.

A 4-year-old in Salisbury, N.H., and a high school student in Virginia died earlier this month of complications from MRSA infections.

Last week, three Georgia middle school students were diagnosed with the antibiotic-resistant staph infection.

Near Indianapolis, more than 100 high school students were sent home after they found out that one of their fellow classmates might have the infection.

Johnson said area schools have moved forward since hearing of incidents at other schools by doing additional disinfecting at all schools.

"It's transmitted basically by direct skin-to-skin contact. It is not transmitted in routine work activities or routine school activities," Dr. Nilmarie Guz told Channel 4. Last week, the executive director of the Duval County Health Department said MRSA is more common than most people think.

"It's a bacterial infection that can be pretty serious and resistant to antibiotic treatment," Dr. Robert Harmon said. "People with immune deficiencies and older individuals are more susceptible."

Harmon said the best way to stay protected is to wash hands frequently.

"The important thing is to keep wounds clean, wash hands frequently and if any cut is not getting better, see a doctor quickly," Harmon said.

Friday is a teacher planning day for Duval County schools, which there will be no school for students. Administrators said the day off is a good thing because the cleaning process could continue and things would be back to normal on Monday.

• October 19, 2007: Q&A Forum About MRSA
• October 19, 2007: Doctor: Serious Staph Infections More Common Than Most Think
• October 18, 2007: 'Superbug' Reports Spread Through Country
• October 17, 2007: Schools, Teams Report 'Superbug' Infections