Estimation of secondary measles transmission from a healthcare worker in a hospital setting.
Measles among healthcare workers (HCWs) is associated with a significant risk of nosocomial transmission to susceptible patients. When a measles case occurs in the healthcare setting, most guidelines recommend exhaustive measures. To evaluate the effects of measures against measles transmission in the healthcare setting precisely, it is essential to determine whether secondary transmission generally occurs. This study describes, for the first time, the actual secondary transmission rate for a measles-infected HCW in a ward with no special air ventilation capacity. The routine treatment of a number of immunocompromised patients occurs in this ward, and thus patients as well as HCWs have a thorough understanding and practice of standard and extended precautions. Our paired serum sample study revealed that none of the people in the ward exposed to the HCW at the catarrhal stage over a period of 4 days exhibited elevated levels of antibodies against measles. We suggest that strict adherence to standard and expanded precautions among patients and HCWs may be effective for preventing the transmission of a highly airborne disease, such as measles.
Department of Neurology, Hematology, Metabolism, Endocrinology, and Diabetology (DNHMED), Yamagata University Faculty of Medicine, Yamagata, Japan; Department of Radiation Emergency Medicine, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institute of Sciences, 4-9-1, Anagawa, Inage-ku, Chiba-shi, Chiba, 263-8555, Japan. Electronic address: tajima@nirs.go.jp.
Katsushi
K
Tajima
Virus Research Center, Sendai Medical Center, Sendai, Japan.
Hidekazu
H
Nishimura
Department of Infectious Diseases, Yamagata University Faculty of Medicine, Yamagata, Japan.
Seiji
S
Hongo
Department of Neurology, Hematology, Metabolism, Endocrinology, and Diabetology (DNHMED), Yamagata University Faculty of Medicine, Yamagata, Japan; Department of Radiation Emergency Medicine, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institute of Sciences, 4-9-1, Anagawa, Inage-ku, Chiba-shi, Chiba, 263-8555, Japan.
Masaharu
M
Hazawa
Department of Neurology, Hematology, Metabolism, Endocrinology, and Diabetology (DNHMED), Yamagata University Faculty of Medicine, Yamagata, Japan; Department of Radiation Emergency Medicine, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institute of Sciences, 4-9-1, Anagawa, Inage-ku, Chiba-shi, Chiba, 263-8555, Japan.
A I
AI
Saotome-Nakamura
Department of Neurology, Hematology, Metabolism, Endocrinology, and Diabetology (DNHMED), Yamagata University Faculty of Medicine, Yamagata, Japan; Department of Radiation Emergency Medicine, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institute of Sciences, 4-9-1, Anagawa, Inage-ku, Chiba-shi, Chiba, 263-8555, Japan.
Kenichi
K
Tomiyama
Department of Neurology, Hematology, Metabolism, Endocrinology, and Diabetology (DNHMED), Yamagata University Faculty of Medicine, Yamagata, Japan; Department of Radiation Emergency Medicine, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institute of Sciences, 4-9-1, Anagawa, Inage-ku, Chiba-shi, Chiba, 263-8555, Japan.
Chizuka
C
Obara
Department of Neurology, Hematology, Metabolism, Endocrinology, and Diabetology (DNHMED), Yamagata University Faculty of Medicine, Yamagata, Japan.
Takeo
T
Kato
D000328:Adult; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control; D017758:Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional; D017757:Infectious Disease Transmission, Professional-to-Patient; D007564:Japan; D008457:Measles / Q000635:transmission*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic
Healthcare worker; Measles; Secondary transmission