Gregoire takes on superbug MRSA

Gov. Christine Gregoire wants medical laboratories around the state to report cases of invasive MRSA infections caused by antibiotic-resistant strains of staph bacteria.

In a letter to Washington State Department of Health Secretary Mary Selecky, Gregoire directed that she use her authority to "request" that the labs cooperate.

In addition, Gregoire told Selecky to convene a panel of scientific experts to recommend the best, scientifically sound strategies to monitor and curb antibiotic-resistant organisms, including MRSA, which stands for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Gregoire also instructed the Health Department to beef up efforts to help local health agencies, hospitals, health-care providers and other institutions educate the public, school officials and businesses about MRSA and how to prevent contracting the infection.

"While I appreciate the work of local public health, school districts and the Department of Health in getting information to our communities, we need to do more," Gregoire told Selecky in the letter received Wednesday.

Citing "increased media attention and public concern" over MRSA cases, the governor directed Selecky to take the actions immediately. Locally, several schools temporarily closed or canceled classes or athletic games to do extensive cleaning after students contracted MRSA infections.

Selecky, who has been known to pass around a bottle of alcohol hand-cleaning gel before sitting down to dinner with friends, said she didn't dispute the governor's orders.

She said her department already has contacted a sampling of the state's 90 medical laboratories to test their willingness to cooperate in the effort.

"The labs said it's not a problem," Selecky said. Such labs now routinely report other information to health authorities, but not all labs are capable of confirming invasive MRSA.

The Health Department already is scouting for members of the scientific panel, Selecky said. Gregoire asked for a report by Jan. 10 so the information can be used "as a sound basis for future action to prevent the spread of this infection."

In the meantime, Selecky said, it's important not to overreact. "One of the things that I think has gotten lost over the last couple of weeks is that it [MRSA] is treatable," she said. Penicillin-class antibiotics don't kill the organism, but other types of antibiotics do, she noted.

The department has recommended that schools contact local public-health agencies when they have MRSA cases rather than close immediately. "I think initially there was such concern that people reacted before consultation," she said.

Much of the concern occurred after a medical journal published a study estimating that the worst infections caused by the pathogen may kill as many as 19,000 people a year nationwide. These infections, called "invasive," can involve bloodstream or lung infections and are much more serious than the more common skin infections.

Carol M. Ostrom: 206-464-2249 or costrom@seattletimes.com