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Lessons Learned From a Norovirus Outbreak in a Locked Pediatric Inpatient Psychiatric Unit

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 June 2016

David J. Weber ,
Emily E. Sickbert-Bennett ,
Jan Vinjé ,
Vickie M. Brown ,
Jennifer K. MacFarquhar ,
Jeffrey P. Engel  and
William A. Rutala
David J. Weber*
Affiliation:
Department of Hospital Epidemiology, University of North Carolina Health Care System, Chapel Hill, North Carolina Division of Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Emily E. Sickbert-Bennett
Affiliation:
Department of Hospital Epidemiology, University of North Carolina Health Care System, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Jan Vinjé
Affiliation:
Department of Environmental Sciences, University of North Carolina School of Public Health, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Vickie M. Brown
Affiliation:
Department of Hospital Epidemiology, University of North Carolina Health Care System, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Jennifer K. MacFarquhar
Affiliation:
Division of Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Jeffrey P. Engel
Affiliation:
North Carolina Division of Public Health, Raleigh, North Carolina
William A. Rutala
Affiliation:
Department of Hospital Epidemiology, University of North Carolina Health Care System, Chapel Hill, North Carolina Division of Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
*
CB #7030, 130 Mason Farm Road, UNC at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7030dweber@unch.unc.edu
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Abstract

We report an outbreak of norovirus in a locked pediatric inpatient psychiatric unit with attack rates of 75% among 4 patients and 26% among 38 staff. Factors contributing to the outbreak included environmental contamination, close staff-patient contact including sharing meals, and inability to confine the index patient with the use of contact precautions.

Type
Concise Communications
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 26 , Issue 10 , October 2005 , pp. 841 - 843
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 2005

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