Health officials respond to Seattle Times’ series on MRSA superbugs

Infection control measures advocated by the Seattle Times in its series on infections in Washington hospitals by the antibiotic-resistant superbug MRSA are not supported by the current evidence, Seattle & King County health officials say.

In the series, the Times reports that Washington hospitals have failed to introduce aggressive infection control measures targeting the antibiotic-resistant bacteria known as MRSA, (Multi-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus), measures, which, the paper suggests, could drastically reduce MRSA-related infections and deaths.

In a health advisory issued today by Public Health – Seattle & King County, officials say that, while infections by MRSA are a serious health concern, the evidence suggests that infection-control interventions that target hospital-acquired infections broadly are more effective than interventions that target just one organism.

MRSA, the officials note, is thought to cause less than 10% of hospital-associated bloodstream infections, a common and serious form of hospital-acquired infection.

“MRSA is one of a number of important multi-drug resistant organisms that cause serious healthcare-associated infections, but comprehensive infection control approaches must address all, not just one of the culprits,” the advisory says.

PHOTO CREDIT: Janice Haney Carr / CDC - Magnified 20,000X, this colorized scanning electron micrograph (SEM) depicts a grouping of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteria

To learn more:

• Read the Seattle Times series: Culture of Resistance
• Read the Public Health – Seattle & King County health advisory.
• Read the LocalHealthGuide post on the Seattle Times series immediately before this one.

Tags: Hospital Infections, Infection Control, MRSA, Staphylococcus

Category: Harborview, Hospital News, Infections, Public Health