.
The news report is entirely consistent with the Gardiner Hypothesis - human MRSA following mutated PMWS (Circovirus) epidemics in pigs: sick pigs being treated with large quantities of antibiotics and becoming infected with MRSA - especially MRSA st398.
South Island had an outbreak of mutated PMWS in 2003, detailed in the archives, as against North Island which seems to have had the less aggressive older form of PMWS.
Greymouth does have both pigs and slaughterhouses in the area, wild pigs and was the origin of the miniature pet kune kune pig.
The New Zealanders should be looking for any connection between this health professional and pigs or pork.
Those interested can find much more in the archives of uk.business.agriculture fully searchable once again through Google Groups.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/stories/2008/09/06/12437345f043
Updated at 11:23am on 6 September 2008
Operating theatres at Greymouth Hospital were closed on Friday after a visiting clinician tested positive for the antibiotic resistant superbug MRSA.
Tests were due to be carried out on Saturday on the operating theatres which will remain closed over the weekend.
West Coast District Health Board spokesperson Bryan Jamieson says the theatres have been thoroughly cleaned.
"There will be tests run over the weekend to confirm that MRSA is not present in the operating theatres and should we get an all-clear for that then surgery will be able to resume on Monday we hope."
No surgery had been scheduled in the operating theatres over the weekend.
Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is present in about 30% of the healthy population, where it has no effect. However in people who are ill or injured it can become invasive and cause disease.
