Use of palivizumab with other infection control measures to control respiratory syncytial virus outbreaks in neonatal care units.
No guidelines exist on the use of palivizumab during outbreaks of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs). We aimed to describe an outbreak of RSV in NICU settings and the role of palivizumab in controlling the outbreak.



The index case was a 30-day-old premature infant. During the outbreak, 13 cases of RSV were confirmed by RT-PCR. All infants in the NICU received palivizumab after RSV diagnosis.



Of the 13 cases, seven were male; and the median (interquartile) of birth weight was 1585 (IQR: 1480-1705) g. All cases were premature under 34-weeks-gestation. Age at onset of disease varies between 10 and 160 days. Only four cases occurred after administering palivizumab and applying other infection control measures.



During nosocomial outbreaks of RSV, administration of palivizumab to all infants in NICU appears to be rational and may help contain outbreaks.
Department of Pediatrics Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, Kuwait m.hammoud@hsc.edu.kw.
Majeda S
MS
Hammoud
Department of Community Medicine and Behavioural Sciences Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, Kuwait.
Abdullah
A
Al-Taiar
Department of Neonatology, Al-Sabah Maternity Hospital, Kuwait.
Aditiya
A
Raina
Department of Pediatrics, Amiri Hospital, Kuwait.
Dalal
D
Elsori
Department of Microbiology, Mabarak Alkabeer Hospital, Kuwait.
Sarah
S
Al-Qabandi
Department of Pediatrics Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, Kuwait.
Mazen
M
Al-Essa
D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods*; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D007730:Kuwait / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D000069455:Palivizumab / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000069455:Palivizumab
Respiratory Syncytial Virus; neonatal care units; nosocomial infections; outbreak; palivizumab