Nosocomial herpetic infections in a pediatric intensive care unit.
Am J Epidemiol
; 113(2): 126-32, 1981 Feb.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-6258425
ABSTRACT
A series of acute herpetic infections occurred among nurses and patients in a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). Epidemiologic study revealed two separate time clusters of infections, one in early summer and another six weeks later. Restriction endonuclease analysis of DNA extracted from virus isolates showed that each time cluster was associated with a different genetic strain of herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1 and provided evidence of cross infection between patients and nurses. Three nurses had herpetic whitlow; the husband of one had acute gingivostomatitis; a fourth nurse had acute pharyngitis. They had no previous history of HSV infection and sequential antibody testing of affected nurses showed 19S antibody in all initially positive serums, confirming primary infection. The data provide clear evidence that PICU personnel risk acquiring serious herpetic infections from patients and vice versa unless specific precautions are taken. Restriction endonuclease analysis of HSV DNA was useful in the epidemiologic study of the infections.
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Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Infección Hospitalaria
/
Herpes Simple
/
Unidades de Cuidados Intensivos
Límite:
Adult
/
Child
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
País/Región como asunto:
America do norte
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Am J Epidemiol
Año:
1981
Tipo del documento:
Article