Majeda S Hammoud1, Abdullah Al-Taiar2, Aditiya Raina3, Dalal Elsori4, Sarah Al-Qabandi5, Mazen Al-Essa6. 1. Department of Pediatrics Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, Kuwait m.hammoud@hsc.edu.kw. 2. Department of Community Medicine and Behavioural Sciences Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, Kuwait. 3. Department of Neonatology, Al-Sabah Maternity Hospital, Kuwait. 4. Department of Pediatrics, Amiri Hospital, Kuwait. 5. Department of Microbiology, Mabarak Alkabeer Hospital, Kuwait. 6. Department of Pediatrics Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, Kuwait.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: No guidelines exist on the use of palivizumab during outbreaks of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs). We aimed to describe an outbreak of RSV in NICU settings and the role of palivizumab in controlling the outbreak. METHODS: The index case was a 30-day-old premature infant. During the outbreak, 13 cases of RSV were confirmed by RT-PCR. All infants in the NICU received palivizumab after RSV diagnosis. RESULTS: Of the 13 cases, seven were male; and the median (interquartile) of birth weight was 1585 (IQR: 1480-1705) g. All cases were premature under 34-weeks-gestation. Age at onset of disease varies between 10 and 160 days. Only four cases occurred after administering palivizumab and applying other infection control measures. CONCLUSION: During nosocomial outbreaks of RSV, administration of palivizumab to all infants in NICU appears to be rational and may help contain outbreaks.
OBJECTIVE: No guidelines exist on the use of palivizumab during outbreaks of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs). We aimed to describe an outbreak of RSV in NICU settings and the role of palivizumab in controlling the outbreak. METHODS: The index case was a 30-day-old premature infant. During the outbreak, 13 cases of RSV were confirmed by RT-PCR. All infants in the NICU received palivizumab after RSV diagnosis. RESULTS: Of the 13 cases, seven were male; and the median (interquartile) of birth weight was 1585 (IQR: 1480-1705) g. All cases were premature under 34-weeks-gestation. Age at onset of disease varies between 10 and 160 days. Only four cases occurred after administering palivizumab and applying other infection control measures. CONCLUSION: During nosocomial outbreaks of RSV, administration of palivizumab to all infants in NICU appears to be rational and may help contain outbreaks.