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Outbreaks of Influenza A Among Nonvaccinated Healthcare Workers: Implications for Resource-Limited Settings

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Anucha Apisarnthanarak ,
Pilaipan Puthavathana ,
Rungrueng Kitphati ,
Prasert Auewarakul  and
Linda M. Mundy
Anucha Apisarnthanarak*
Affiliation:
Division of Infectious Diseases, Thammasart University Hospital, Pratumthani, Thailand
Pilaipan Puthavathana
Affiliation:
Division of Microbiology, Siriraj Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand
Rungrueng Kitphati
Affiliation:
Department of Science, Thai National Institute of Health, Nonthaburi, Thailand
Prasert Auewarakul
Affiliation:
Division of Microbiology, Siriraj Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand
Linda M. Mundy
Affiliation:
St. Louis University School of Public Health, St. Louis, Missouri
*
Division of Infectious Diseases, Thammasart University Hospital, Pratumthani, Thailand12120 (anapisarn@yahoo.com)
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Abstract

We identified 3 outbreaks of influenza A (attack rates, 18%–24%) among Thai healthcare workers in intensive care units. All outbreaks were epidemiologically linked to an index patient with pneumonia due to influenza A virus (subtype H3N2). The investigations of these outbreaks incurred costs that exceeded the estimated costs of healthcare worker influenza vaccination by more than 10-fold.

Type
Concise Communication
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 29 , Issue 8 , August 2008 , pp. 777 - 780
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 2008

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