Tweet
J Hosp Infect. 2018 Jun 14. pii: S0195-6701(18)30318-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jhin.2018.06.004. [Epub ahead of print]
Molecular characterization of a nosocomial outbreak of influenza B virus in an acute-care hospital setting.
Sansone M1, Wiman ?2, Karlberg ML2, Brytting M2, Bohlin L3, Andersson LM4, Westin J4, Nord?n R4.
Author information
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIM:
To describe a hospital outbreak of influenza B (InfB) virus infection during season 2015/2016 by combining clinical and epidemiological data with molecular methods.
METHODS:
Twenty patients diagnosed with InfB from a hospital outbreak during a four-week-period were included. Nasopharyngeal swabs (NPS) positive for InfB by multiplex real-time PCR were sent for lineage typing and whole genome sequencing (WGS). Medical records were retrospectively reviewed for data regarding patient characteristics, localisation, exposure and outcome and assembled into a timeline. In order to find possible connections to the hospital outbreak, all patients with a positive NPS for influenza from the region during an extended time period were also reviewed.
FINDINGS:
All 20 cases of InfB were of subtype B/Yamagata and 17/20 patients could be linked to each other by either shared room or shared ward. WGS was successful or partially successful for 15 of the 17 viral isolates and corroborated the epidemiological link supporting a close relationship. In the main affected ward, 19/75 in-patients were infected with InfB during the outbreak period resulting in an attack rate of 25%. One probable case of influenza-related death was identified.
CONCLUSION:
We present evidence that InfB virus may spread within an acute-care hospital and that advanced molecular methods may facilitate assessment of the source and extent of the outbreak. We believe a multifaceted approach including rapid diagnosis, early recognition of outbreak situations, simple rules for patient management and the use of regular infection control measures may efficiently prevent nosocomial transmission of influenza virus.
Copyright ? 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
KEYWORDS:
Influenza B virus infection; Nosocomial transmission; hospital outbreak; infection control; whole-genome sequencing
PMID: 29909095 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhin.2018.06.004
Molecular characterization of a nosocomial outbreak of influenza B virus in an acute-care hospital setting.
Sansone M1, Wiman ?2, Karlberg ML2, Brytting M2, Bohlin L3, Andersson LM4, Westin J4, Nord?n R4.
Author information
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIM:
To describe a hospital outbreak of influenza B (InfB) virus infection during season 2015/2016 by combining clinical and epidemiological data with molecular methods.
METHODS:
Twenty patients diagnosed with InfB from a hospital outbreak during a four-week-period were included. Nasopharyngeal swabs (NPS) positive for InfB by multiplex real-time PCR were sent for lineage typing and whole genome sequencing (WGS). Medical records were retrospectively reviewed for data regarding patient characteristics, localisation, exposure and outcome and assembled into a timeline. In order to find possible connections to the hospital outbreak, all patients with a positive NPS for influenza from the region during an extended time period were also reviewed.
FINDINGS:
All 20 cases of InfB were of subtype B/Yamagata and 17/20 patients could be linked to each other by either shared room or shared ward. WGS was successful or partially successful for 15 of the 17 viral isolates and corroborated the epidemiological link supporting a close relationship. In the main affected ward, 19/75 in-patients were infected with InfB during the outbreak period resulting in an attack rate of 25%. One probable case of influenza-related death was identified.
CONCLUSION:
We present evidence that InfB virus may spread within an acute-care hospital and that advanced molecular methods may facilitate assessment of the source and extent of the outbreak. We believe a multifaceted approach including rapid diagnosis, early recognition of outbreak situations, simple rules for patient management and the use of regular infection control measures may efficiently prevent nosocomial transmission of influenza virus.
Copyright ? 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
KEYWORDS:
Influenza B virus infection; Nosocomial transmission; hospital outbreak; infection control; whole-genome sequencing
PMID: 29909095 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhin.2018.06.004