Hospital Costs for major tobacco related diseases for the Single Health System – SUS – the State Public Health Network

Abstract

 Varicella is an infectious disease highly transmittable, caused by the varicelazoster  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.