The Centre for Health Protection has cautioned the public to be vigilant against community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus - a drug-resistant bacteria.

The appeal was made after the centre confirmed 37 infection cases in July, the highest monthly total this year and last year.

The centre's Consultant for Community Medicine Dr SK Chuang said the cases involved 20 males and 17 females aged two months to 87 years. The majority had skin and soft tissue infection and none had life-threatening forms of the disease.

Twenty-seven cases required hospital admission and 10 were managed as out-patients. Thirty-five have recovered and the rest are in hospital in stable condition.

Of the 37 cases, two were from the same family while the others were all sporadic and no person-to-person transmission occurred.

Community associated-MRSA is mainly transmitted through direct contact with wounds, discharge and soiled areas, usually the hands.

Symptoms include redness, swelling, tenderness or pus. Sometimes more serious effects such as purulent infections and severe pneumonia may occur.

Patients advised to take antibiotics should take the medicine according to the prescribed frequency and dosage, and complete the whole course. For more information on the illness, click here.