Successful control of a pertussis outbreak in a university children's hospital

International Journal of Infectious Diseases : IJID : Official Publication of the International Society for Infectious Diseases
Sandra Crameri, Ulrich Heininger

Abstract

Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at high risk for acquisition and/or transmission of Bordetella pertussis. We report an outbreak of pertussis in a children's hospital involving three HCWs. Clinical and epidemiological observations. A 62-year-old nurse was suffering from a paroxysmal cough, choking, and significant sleep disturbances of 3 weeks duration; a diagnosis of pertussis was made by PCR. At the time of diagnosis, 25 HCWs working on the same ward as the index case were identified as having been exposed. Of these, seven complained of a current cough illness. PCR was positive for B. pertussis in two of them (both with paroxysmal cough), and they were treated with clarithromycin p.o. Asymptomatic HCWs received postexposure prophylaxis with azithromycin p.o. None of these HCWs, and none of the patients hospitalized on the index case's ward, developed a cough illness during the following 4 weeks. Pertussis should be suspected in HCWs with prolonged cough illness, and immediate action is required to limit spread of the disease.

References

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Citations

Jan 18, 2011·Medizinische Klinik·Sabine Wicker, Markus A Rose
Sep 26, 2015·Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society·Tirza A CalderónJulia S Sammons
Mar 18, 2015·Vaccine·Kathi WaltherUlrich Heininger
Jan 30, 2010·Expert Review of Anti-infective Therapy·Ulrich Heininger
Jan 6, 2012·The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal·Ulrich Heininger
Oct 28, 2016·Critical Reviews in Microbiology·Cláudia GomesJoaquim Ruiz
Jul 12, 2013·Cadernos de saúde pública·José Cassio de MoraesLucia Ferro Bricks

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