BACKGROUND: A large number (17) of nosocomial respiratory syncytial virus cases led to the development of control measures to prevent transmission of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) within the Johns Hopkins Hospital's Children's Center. METHODS: The control plan is based on a 2-stage process. In stage 1, the staff are notified that RSV is in the community, and information is distributed through a communication tree. Stage 2 requires that nasopharyngeal aspirates be obtained from all children <3 years of age who have respiratory symptoms. The aspirates are tested directly for RSV antigen and cultured for RSV. The children are placed on pediatric droplet precautions pending those results. RESULTS: The proportion of nosocomial RSV cases dropped from 16.5% before the use of RSV control measures to 7.2% after the initiation of the control program. A case of RSV identified in the hospital was 2.6 times more likely to be nosocomially acquired before the intervention compared with after the intervention. Approximately 14 cases of RSV are prevented each year, which results in a savings of 56 hospital-days and more than $84,000 in direct hospital-related charges alone. CONCLUSIONS: The nosocomial spread of RSV can be reduced by a specific and feasible control plan that includes early identification and rapid isolation of potential RSV cases.
BACKGROUND: A large number (17) of nosocomial respiratory syncytial virus cases led to the development of control measures to prevent transmission of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) within the Johns Hopkins Hospital's Children's Center. METHODS: The control plan is based on a 2-stage process. In stage 1, the staff are notified that RSV is in the community, and information is distributed through a communication tree. Stage 2 requires that nasopharyngeal aspirates be obtained from all children <3 years of age who have respiratory symptoms. The aspirates are tested directly for RSV antigen and cultured for RSV. The children are placed on pediatric droplet precautions pending those results. RESULTS: The proportion of nosocomial RSV cases dropped from 16.5% before the use of RSV control measures to 7.2% after the initiation of the control program. A case of RSV identified in the hospital was 2.6 times more likely to be nosocomially acquired before the intervention compared with after the intervention. Approximately 14 cases of RSV are prevented each year, which results in a savings of 56 hospital-days and more than $84,000 in direct hospital-related charges alone. CONCLUSIONS: The nosocomial spread of RSV can be reduced by a specific and feasible control plan that includes early identification and rapid isolation of potential RSV cases.
Authors: Nicholas G Reich; Derek A T Cummings; Stephen A Lauer; Martha Zorn; Christine Robinson; Ann-Christine Nyquist; Connie S Price; Michael Simberkoff; Lewis J Radonovich; Trish M Perl Journal: Clin Infect Dis Date: 2014-11-19 Impact factor: 9.079
Authors: Helen Y Chu; Janet A Englund; Sara Podczervinski; Jane Kuypers; Angela P Campbell; Michael Boeckh; Steven A Pergam; Corey Casper Journal: Biol Blood Marrow Transplant Date: 2014-03-06 Impact factor: 5.742
Authors: Eugenio Baraldi; Marcello Lanari; Paolo Manzoni; Giovanni A Rossi; Silvia Vandini; Alessandro Rimini; Costantino Romagnoli; Pierluigi Colonna; Andrea Biondi; Paolo Biban; Giampietro Chiamenti; Roberto Bernardini; Marina Picca; Marco Cappa; Giuseppe Magazzù; Carlo Catassi; Antonio Francesco Urbino; Luigi Memo; Gianpaolo Donzelli; Carlo Minetti; Francesco Paravati; Giuseppe Di Mauro; Filippo Festini; Susanna Esposito; Giovanni Corsello Journal: Ital J Pediatr Date: 2014-10-24 Impact factor: 2.638