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An Outbreak of Pertussis in a Hematology-Oncology Care Unit: Implications for Adult Vaccination Policy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 June 2016

Brian R. Boulay*
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon
Carolyn J. Murray
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon
Judy Ptak
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon
Kathryn B. Kirkland
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon
Jose Montero
Affiliation:
Department of Health and Human Services, Concord, New Hampshire
Elizabeth A. Talbot
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon Department of Health and Human Services, Concord, New Hampshire
*
Section of General Internal Medicine, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, One Medical Center Drive, LebanonNH 03756 (, Brian.R.Boulay@hitchcock.org)

Abstract

A pertussis outbreak in a hematology-oncology care unit involved 10 (8.5%) of 117 employees. The source was an employee who contracted pertussis via a family contact. No screened patients contracted pertussis, likely because of isolation measures. Hospitals should consider employee immunization with acellular vaccine in healthcare settings where pertussis has high rates of morbidity and mortality.

Type
Concise Communications
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 2006

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