BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) – officials from the Secretary of State’s Office are investigating the source of severe bacterial infections among five young people in Middlebury, all of whom recently received tattoos.

The bacterial infections, known as MRSA (methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus), may be related to tattoos received from an unlicensed practitioner, according to Dr. Cort Lohff, state epidemiologist for the Vermont Department of Health.

The Secretary of State’s Office, which regulates professional tattoo artists, is working with the Health Department to halt the spread of the infection.

Officials said they would not release the names of the young people, five of whom are teenagers, citing medical confidentiality. The Health Department has notified Middlebury-area health care providers of the outbreak to help ease diagnosis and treatment.

Secretary of State Deborah Markowitz said that if the suspected tattoo artist is found to be the source of the infection, several laws will have been violated.