Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-42gr6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-24T18:42:36.794Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Implementation of the Canadian Contingency Plan for a Case of Suspected Viral Hemorrhagic Fever

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Mark Loeb ,
Douglas MacPherson ,
Michele Barton  and
Jan Olde
Mark Loeb*
Affiliation:
Hamilton Regional Laboratory Program and the Departments of Pathology and Molecular Medicine and Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Douglas MacPherson
Affiliation:
Office for Public Health Security, Centre for Emergency Preparedness and Response, Health Canada, Ottawa, and the Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Michele Barton
Affiliation:
Hamilton Health Sciences, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Jan Olde
Affiliation:
Hamilton Health Sciences, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
*
Henderson General Hospital, Hamilton, Ontario, CanadaL8V 1C3
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objective:

To describe the implementation of the Canadian contingency plan for viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF) in response to a suspected case.

Setting:

A 300-bed, tertiary-care, university-affiliated hospital.

Participants:

A 32-year-old Congolese woman admitted to the hospital with suspected VHF in February 2001. Contact evaluation included hospital healthcare workers and laboratory staff.

Intervention:

Enhanced isolation precautions were implemented in the patient care setting to prevent nosocomial transmission. Contact tracing and evaluation of close and high-risk contacts with symptoms was conducted. Laboratory precautions included barrier precautions and diversion of specimens. Communication occurred to both hospital employees and the media.

Results:

Three high-risk contacts, 13 close contacts, and 60 casual contacts were identified. Two close contacts became symptomatic and required evaluation. Challenging process issues included tracing of laboratory specimens, decontamination of laboratory equipment, and internal and external communication. After 5 days, a transmissible VHF of public health consequence was ruled out in the index case.

Conclusion:

Contingency plans for VHF can be implemented in an efficient and feasible manner. Contact tracing, laboratory issues, internal communication, and media interest can be anticipated to be the key challenges.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 24 , Issue 4 , April 2003 , pp. 280 - 283
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 2003

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1.Isaacson, M. Viral hemorrhagic fever hazards for travelers in Africa. Clin Infect Dis 2001;33:1707–1712.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
2.Enria, DA, Pinheiro, F. Rodent-borne emerging viral zoonosis: hemorrhagic fevers and hantavirus infections in South America. Infect Dis Clin North Am 2000;14:167–184.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Outbreak of Ebola hemorrhagic fever: Uganda, August 2000-January 2001. MMWR 2001;50(RR-5):73–77.Google Scholar
4. Statistics Canada. Non-resident Travellers Entering Canada. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Statistics Canada. Available at www.statcan.ca/english/Pgdb/fin41.htm.Google Scholar
5.Center for Disease Control. Management of patients with suspected viral hemorrhagic fever. MMWR 1988;37(suppl 3):1–16.Google Scholar
6.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Update: management of patients with suspected viral hemorrhagic fever—United States. MMWR 1995;44(RR-25):475–479.Google Scholar
7.Canadian contingency plan for viral hemorrhagic fevers and other related diseases. Can Commun Dis Rep 1997;23 S2(suppl 1):i-iii,1–13.Google Scholar
8. Viral hemorrhagic fevers: contingency plan—Ontario. January 2002.Google Scholar
9.Borio, L, Inglesby, T, Peters, CJ, et al. Hemorrhagic fever viruses as biological weapons: medical and public health management. JAMA 2002;287:2391–2405.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed