title: Outbreak of adenovirus serotype 8 conjunctivitis in preterm infants in a neonatal intensive care unit.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Adenovirus keratoconjunctivitis outbreaks have rarely been reported in preterm infants. An outbreak of adenovirus conjunctivitis occurred between 15 January and 25 February at a neonatal intensive care unit of a university hospital in Turkey.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe the evolution, investigation and management of the outbreak.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adenovirus type 8 was identified in 14 samples by polymerase chain reaction analysis. A case-control study was performed to determine the risk factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifteen preterm neonates, five healthcare workers (HCWs) and four parents suffered from conjunctivitis signs such as lacrimation, swelling and redness of the eye. A retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) examination was found to be the most important risk factor for adenovirus conjunctivitis (odds ratio: 17.5; 95% confidence interval: 1.9-163.0; P=0.012). The eyelid speculum (blepharostat) used during the ROP examination was not sterilized between each patient and was found to be the cause of contamination.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The outbreak was controlled by measures such as barrier precautions, hand hygiene, sterilization of the blepharostat, suspending patient transfer to other units, and excluding infected HCWs for at least 15 days.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases & Clinical Microbiology, Inonu University School of Medicine, Malatya, Turkey. dryasemin@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ersoy
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Otlu
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Türkçüoğlu
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yetkin
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aker
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kuzucu
mesh_terms: D000258:Adenovirus Infections, Human / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D000260:Adenoviruses, Human / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003231:Conjunctivitis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012307:Risk Factors; D012703:Serotyping; D014421:Turkey
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral