Three inmates at the Northampton County, Pa., Prison have been diagnosed with an infection that has caused problems at other prisons across the state, and four other prisoners have suspected cases.

The prisoners are suffering from a staph infection that cannot be treated with some antibiotics. It is called methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, commonly referred to as MRSA.

That infection killed two ill prisoners earlier this year at the Allegheny County Jail in Pittsburgh.

In Bucks County, 13 lawsuits were filed by inmates and prison employees after infections there. One case resulted in a federal jury award in January of $1.2 million to two former prisoners. The county lost one appeal of that verdict and has another pending.

The cases in Northampton County are the first that prison officials are aware of.

They are not considered serious and are being treated with drugs to which the bacteria are not resistant.

Three inmates have confirmed cases, and four others have suspected cases, said Todd Haskins, a junior vice president at PrimeCare Medical Inc., a Harrisburg company that provides medical care at the prison.

The sick inmates are being quarantined, and on Tuesday, medical officials examined all inmates for signs of infection.

On Wednesday all cells were cleaned with a bleach solution.

This summer, the prison wrote a policy on how to prevent, treat and contain the infection. The policy includes instructions for inmates and employees and is based on policies from the Federal Bureau of Prisons and corrections officials in Los Angeles and West Virginia, Haskins said.

He said other prisons where PrimeCare works, including Lehigh and Berks counties, have had cases of the infection.

Chester and Lancaster counties also have reported cases.