Keywords
disease outbreaks
cross infection
How to Cite
Abstract
Varicella is an infectious disease highly transmittable, caused by the varicela-zoster virus. The disease is cause of more concern when occurring in immune depressed persons and interned patients, who can develop more serious or fatal forms of this hazard. In August, 2005, a major academial hospital in São José do Rio Preto (São Paulo) reported a probable outbreak of intra hospital varicella, with three deaths. The investigation aimed to assess the real magnitude of varicella within this hospital, confirming the possibility of an intra hospital outbreak and to establish control measures. Information sources were: active search for medical forms, interviews with the personnel, contacting patients after hospital leave and investigation of the emergency units in which varicella cases were admitted. After throughout investigation of infection sources of the 31 reported cases occurring from July, 2 to October, 8, 2005, intra hospital transmission of the disease was identified, with the infection of four patients and eight workers. This outbreak may be a reflex of the increase in the number of cases of this disease in the community, linked to a high rate of susceptible persons among health professionals. Starting from the detection of the first cases, many measures were taken: reporting and timely investigation of new cases, vaccination against varicella or immunoglobulin when indicated, reinforcing isolation procedures, concession of immediate sick leaves to infected professionals, wide information of the outbreak to health professionals and integration between hospital teams in the three government levels: municipal, regional and state. These measures rendered possible the control of varicella transmission in a hospital that is the regional reference service.
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Copyright (c) 2005 Alessandra Cristina Guedes Pellini, Flávia Helena Ciccone, Eliana Márcia Sotello Cabrera, Maria Lúcia Machado Salomão, Rosidelma Sisdeli, Maria Rita de Cássia Oliveira Cury Oliveira Cury, Sandra Regina Ricardo, Maria Clara Padoveze Padoveze, Adelaide Maria Baffi Gobi, Mariana Donda Falcão, Sandra Giolo Silvério Giglio, Regina Mara Custódio Rangel, Marcia Wakai Catelan, Sônia de F. Trinca Cavalari, Jane Wildes Gardini de Lima, Silvia Helena Necchi