Prevention of Nosocomial Influenza

• Published in: Infection control and hospital epidemiology 1996-10, Vol.17 (10), p.641-648
• Main Authors: Adal, Karim A., Flowers, Richard H., Anglim, Anne M., Hayden, Frederick G., Titus, Maureen G., Coyner, Betty J., Farr, Barry M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Amantadine - therapeutic use; Antiviral Agents - therapeutic use; Biological and medical sciences; Chemoprevention; Chi-Square Distribution; Child; Child, Preschool; Cross Infection - prevention & control; Disease outbreaks; Disease Outbreaks - prevention & control; Epidemics; Epidemiology; Health care industry; Hospital Bed Capacity, 500 and over; Hospitals, University; Human viral diseases; Humans; Immunization; Immunization Programs - methods; Immunization Programs - trends; Infant; Infections; Infectious diseases; Influenza A virus; Influenza vaccines; Influenza, Human - epidemiology; Influenza, Human - prevention & control; Influenza, Human - transmission; Internships; Longitudinal Studies; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Nosocomial infection; Nursing; Patient Isolation; Population Surveillance; Program Evaluation; Treatment Refusal; Vaccination; Vaccination - trends; Viral diseases; Viral diseases of the respiratory system and ent viral diseases; Virginia - epidemiology
• ISSN: 0899-823X; 1559-6834
• DOI: 10.1017/S0195941700002927

Objective: To study compliance with preventive strategies at a university hospital during an outbreak of nosocomial influenza A during the winter of 1988, and the rates of vaccination of healthcare workers and of nosocomial influenza following changes in vaccine practices after the outbreak. Design: Retrospective review of employee health, hospital epidemiology, hospital computing, and clinical microbiology records. Setting: A university hospital. Interventions: Unvaccinated personnel with exposure within the previous 72 hours to an unisolated case of influenza were offered influenza vaccine and 14 days of amantadine hydrochloride prophylaxis. Personnel with exposure more than 72 hours before evaluation were offered vaccine. A mobile cart was introduced for vaccinating personnel after the 1988 outbreak. Results: An outbreak of influenza with 10 nosocomial cases occurred in 1988. Only 4% of exposed employees had been vaccinated previously and 23% of exposed, unvaccinated employees agreed to take vaccine, amantadine, or both. A mobile-cart vaccination program was instituted, and annual vaccination rates steadily increased from 26.3% in 1989 to 1990 to 38% in 1993 to 1994 (P