Health officials on the Northern Olympic Peninsula say they are seeing increasing numbers of cases of an antibiotic-resistant – and potentially life-threatening – strain of staphyloccocus in emergency rooms and doctors’ offices.
Hsopitals on the Peninsula don’t now test for the presence of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus bacteria – or MRSA, pronounced mur-sah infections.
But Olympic Medical Center may soon, after a study is completed.
Because of the impression that cases are on the rise, Dr. Tom Locke, chief medical officer for Clallam and Jefferson counties, and OMC will launch a study early next year to pinpoint information about the hard-to-treat infection.
Jefferson Healthcare hospital is consulting with a Vashon-based epidemiologist to determine a plan of its own.
Locke and Dr. Penny Becker, the infection control coordinator at Olympic Medical Center, will begin testing for the bacteria with a nasal swab at various sites throughout the county, including the hospital.
The goal: establish patterns, trends and risk factors in the communication.
The results may dictate whether Olympic Medical Center decides to tests its patients for MRSA when they are admitted.
Laws requiring the test are already in place in Illinois, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
