The management of an adenovirus epidemic in a neonatal intensive care unit

作者:Bilgin Betul Siyah*; Yalaz Mehmet; Koroglu Ozge Altun; Akisu Mete; Cicek Candan; Buke Cagri; Kultursay Nilgun
来源:Turkish Archives of Pediatrics, 2011, 46(3): 202-206.
DOI:10.4274/tpa.46.75

摘要

Aim: Epidemic conjunctivitis caused by adenovirus frequently spreads by management contact during ophtalmologic examination. This report is written to share our experience on an adenovirus epidemic in our neonatal intensive care unit.
Material and Method: The detailed medical and infection control committee records of the newborns and personnel together cared in Ege University neonatal intensive care unit in the period between 09.14.2009-10.17.2009 are used in this report. Conjunctival, nasopharyngeal and stool samples were collected from 15 patients, who were living in service (9 girls, 6 boys), and from 25 personnel. Weekly samples were collected from infants during the epidemic. Management fluorescence antibody test and "shell vial" cell culture method were conducted synchronously to all samples. Adenovirus conjunctivitis was diagnosed according to clinical evidence and/or detection of adenovirus in management fluorescence antibody test and cell cultures. During analysis, SPSS 13,0 statistics programme was used.
Results: Severe conjunctivitis occurred within three days of fundus examination for screening of retinopathy of prematurity in five newborns who were examined in the same day and in the ophtalmologist who had examined the infants and in two newborns who were not examined. Ten of 15 infants who were cared at the neonatal intensive care unit during this epidemic had conjunctivitis, five of whom had also gastroenteritis. Five nurses had conjunctivitis and had a leave for therapy and isolation. In one of them AV was detected with direct fluorescence antibody test and also in cell cultures. Adenovirus antigen was detected in three conjunctival swabs and one tracheal aspirate of symptomatic infants. The diagnosis was confirmed with tissue cultures. In addition to standard precautions droplet precautions were also taken with the recommendation of the Infection Control Committee.
Conclusions: The meticulous infection control measures, closing the unit to new admissions, detailed cleaning and decontamination of neonatal intensive care unit prevented the epidemic to spread further and limited the duration of the epidemic. No further second epidemics occurred and all patients recovered. (Turk Arch Ped 2011; 46: 202-6)

  • 出版日期2011-9