Estimation of secondary measles transmission from a healthcare worker in a hospital setting

Katsushi Tajima; Hidekazu Nishimura; Seiji Hongo; Masaharu Hazawa; A I Saotome-Nakamura; Kenichi Tomiyama; Chizuka Obara; Takeo Kato

doi:10.1016/j.ijid.2014.03.1377

Estimation of secondary measles transmission from a healthcare worker in a hospital setting

Int J Infect Dis. 2014 Jul:24:11-3. doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2014.03.1377. Epub 2014 Apr 26.

Authors

Katsushi Tajima¹, Hidekazu Nishimura², Seiji Hongo³, Masaharu Hazawa⁴, A I Saotome-Nakamura⁴, Kenichi Tomiyama⁴, Chizuka Obara⁴, Takeo Kato⁵

Affiliations

¹ 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.
² Virus Research Center, Sendai Medical Center, Sendai, Japan.
³ Department of Infectious Diseases, Yamagata University Faculty of Medicine, Yamagata, Japan.
⁴ 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.
⁵ Department of Neurology, Hematology, Metabolism, Endocrinology, and Diabetology (DNHMED), Yamagata University Faculty of Medicine, Yamagata, Japan.

PMID: 24780918
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2014.03.1377

Abstract

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.

Keywords: Healthcare worker; Measles; Secondary transmission.

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

Adult
Disease Outbreaks / prevention & control*
Female
Health Personnel / psychology
Hospitals
Humans
Infection Control
Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional*
Infectious Disease Transmission, Professional-to-Patient*
Japan
Measles / transmission*
Practice Guidelines as Topic