Clinical and Epidemiologic Features of Rotavirus Outbreak in a Nursery

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Although RV infection is less common in neonate than older infants, because of high transmissibility and morbidity, it is devastating disease in nursery. With experience of RV infection outbreak in our nursery, we report its clinical and epidemiological characteristics. METHODS: From March 2002 to September 2003, 39 neonates were diagnosed with RV infection in nursery by immunochromatographic method. In addition to prevalence time, monthly distribution, and method of blocking outbreak of the disease, demographic, clinical and laboratory data for the neonates were evaluated. RESULTS: After occurring index patient in a nursery of Hanyang University Hospital in Seoul at March 22, 2002, the RV infection was increasing. Although the nursery was disinfected with 99% alcohol, 6 cases of new RV infections developed during July 2002. Eradication of RV infection was achieved after closing the nursery with cohort twice for 17 days and for 10 days. During period of this study, total 39 cases of RV infection were identified and the incidence of infection was 11.5%. Unlike to older infants, the majority of neonatal patient were asymptomatic (47.3%). CONCLUSION: We propose that instead of disinfection using 99% alcohol, long-term isolation with cohort is preferable to control RV transmission in nursery.