Norovirus outbreak management: how much cohorting is necessary?

S Korte; A Pettke; A Kossow; A Mellmann; S Willems; F Kipp

doi:10.1016/j.jhin.2015.10.014

Norovirus outbreak management: how much cohorting is necessary?

J Hosp Infect. 2016 Mar;92(3):259-62. doi: 10.1016/j.jhin.2015.10.014. Epub 2015 Nov 3.

Authors

S Korte¹, A Pettke², A Kossow³, A Mellmann³, S Willems³, F Kipp³

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Hygiene, University Hospital Muenster, Muenster, Germany. Electronic address: Stefanie.Korte@ukmuenster.de.
² Institute of Medical Microbiology - Clinical Virology, University Hospital Muenster, Muenster, Germany.
³ Institute of Hygiene, University Hospital Muenster, Muenster, Germany.

PMID: 26616415
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhin.2015.10.014

Abstract

For the control of norovirus outbreaks, it is widely recommended that exposed but asymptomatic patients should be cohorted separately from unexposed patients and from symptomatic patients. The frequency of subsequent symptomatic norovirus infection in contact patients has not been investigated systematically. We retrospectively investigated the development of typical norovirus symptoms in contact patients during seven norovirus outbreaks affecting 57 patients between November 2014 and May 2015. Only one of 14 contact patients developed typical norovirus symptoms, calling into question current recommendations to isolate contact patients.

Keywords: Cohorting; Norovirus infection; Outbreak management.

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Caliciviridae Infections / epidemiology*
Caliciviridae Infections / prevention & control*
Disease Outbreaks*
Disease Transmission, Infectious / prevention & control*
Environmental Exposure
Humans
Infant
Infection Control / methods*
Middle Aged
Norovirus / isolation & purification*
Patient Isolation
Retrospective Studies