title: A pertussis outbreak associated with social isolation among elderly nuns in a convent.
abstract: The pertussis incidence during an outbreak in a convent in The Netherlands in 1992 was higher among 75 retired (unvaccinated) nuns (60%) than among 24 staff members (8%) and was higher among 9 nuns with only a convent career (100%) than among 66 nuns who had a career outside of the convent (55%). The pertussis incidence increased with duration of social isolation but not with age.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. paul.mertens@planet.nl
authors.forename: Paul L J M
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Mertens
authors.forename: Gerard J J M
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Borsboom
authors.forename: Jan Hendrik
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Richardus
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002410:Catholicism; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D012934:Social Isolation; D014917:Whooping Cough / Q000453:epidemiology*