No cases of a hospital-acquired staphylococcus infection have occurred at Mt. Graham Regional Medical Center, and only one case of the invasive form of the disease has been reported in Graham County.

Methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus, known as MRSA, is a staph infection that is resistant to common antibiotics. The disease has gained national media attention after reports of young athletes dying from the infection.

Because doctors and clinics are only required to report the invasive form of the infection — the type that enters the bloodstream — it is unknown how many Valley residents are being treated for the MRSA skin infection, said Neil Karnes, director of the Graham County Health Department. Jeannine Carpenter, quality and risk management director at the hospital, said there have been no outbreaks within the hospital.

“There’s never been a case of hospital-acquired MRSA,” Carpenter said.

When a person comes to the hospital for treatment of a wound suspected of being infected with MRSA, the wound is cultured so a diagnosis can be made.

The room where the patient was treated is cleaned and sanitized twice, Carpenter said.

Washing one’s hands is the best way to prevent infection with MRSA.

A routine of frequent hand-washing is followed at the Graham County Health Department, Karnes said. Clinic rooms are cleaned with a bleach solution, and employees use personal protective equipment to reduce the risk of MRSA.

Preventative measures are also being taken at local schools. No outbreaks have been reported in Safford or Thatcher schools.

Safford School District Superintendent Mark Tre-gaskes said preventative actions to reduce risk of infection include wiping down mats and athletic equipment with disinfectants and providing containers of hand sanitizer in physical education and special education rooms.

The School District also scheduled in-services with local physicians who provided training to district staff.

In a Nov. 5 letter to parents and students, the School District outlined measures it has taken to protect students and staff from MRSA. The letter included information from the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Thatcher School District Superintendent Janice Given said the school district took steps similar to Safford School District, including staff training and using disinfectant to clean physical education mats and equipment.

At the Eastern Arizona College, warnings about MRSA are contained in the student handbook.