title: Prevention and control practices for human noroviruses in long-term care facilities in South Carolina.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Long-term care facilities (LTCFs) are the most common setting for human norovirus (HuNoV) outbreak. Our study aimed to determine gaps in prevention and control practices for HuNoV in LTCFs in South Carolina (SC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Two researchers visited a convenience sample of 26 LTCFs in SC during July-November 2013. Directors were interviewed to determine facility prevention and control practices. Relative frequencies and means were calculated using SAS 9.3 (SAS Institute, Cary, NC).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most directors had little knowledge of proper sanitizing and disinfecting products and reported missing written procedures for cleaning staff-visitor bathrooms. Only 18 had recommendations for when residents should wash hands. Many used the wrong products for pathogen removal after vomit-fecal events, had no written procedures for cleaning contaminated soft surfaces, did not remove other individuals during clean-up of vomit-fecal episodes, and did not clean a large area surrounding vomit-fecal episodes. Eighteen did not assign specific staff to care for sick; 16 did not designate specific toilets for sick; and 15 did not restrict visitors during an outbreak.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Directors' responses indicated gaps in prevention and control practices for HuNoV in LTCFs in SC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food, Nutrition, and Packaging Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC.
authors.forename: Cortney M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Leone
authors.affiliation: Department of Food, Nutrition, and Packaging Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC.
authors.forename: Lalani
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jayasekara
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematical Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sharp
authors.affiliation: Department of Food, Nutrition, and Packaging Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC. Electronic address: afraser@clemson.edu.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fraser
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017250:Caliciviridae Infections / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology; D006268:Health Facilities; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods*; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008134:Long-Term Care; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013022:South Carolina
keywords: Control; Human noroviruses; Infectious disease; Long-term care; Prevention