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A Serious Outbreak of Parainfluenza Type 3 On a Nursing Unit
Author(s) -
Faulks J. Todd,
Pharm R.,
Drinka Paul J.,
Shult Peter
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2000.tb02593.x
Subject(s) - medicine , outbreak , pneumonia , viral pneumonia , isolation (microbiology) , respiratory system , nursing homes , intensive care medicine , emergency medicine , nursing , covid-19 , virology , disease , infectious disease (medical specialty) , microbiology and biotechnology , biology
OBJECTIVE : To report a serious outbreak of respiratory illness in a nursing home, with isolation of parainfluenza type 3 in four cases. DESIGN : Viral respiratory cultures from a sample of symptomatic residents, and retrospective chart review. SETTING : A 50‐bed nursing unit/floor in a skilled nursing facility. PARTICIPANTS : All residents of the nursing unit. MEASUREMENTS : Respiratory viral cultures and clinical chart review. RESULTS : Twenty‐five of 49 residents developed new respiratory symptoms between September 2 and September 25, 1999. Ten cases (40%) had a tympanic temperature of 100°F or greater. Eighteen (72%) had a chest X‐ray with 11 (44%) new infiltrates. Sixteen (64%) were treated with antibiotics. Three cases were hospitalized and four died (16%) within 1 to 9 days after onset of symptoms. Four of 10 viral cultures yielded parainfluenza type 3. CONCLUSIONS : Parainfluenza type 3 may cause outbreaks complicated by pneumonia and fatal outcome. Clinicians should consider uniform secretion precautions to contain all viral URIs in nursing homes.