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Outbreak of Staphylococcal Infection in Two Hospital Nurseries Traced to a Single Nasal Carrier

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Anusha Belani ,
Robert J. Sherertz ,
Marsha L. Sullivan ,
Beverly A. Russell  and
Peter D. Reumen
Anusha Belani
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease; Department of Pediatrics, Division of Infectious Disease, University of Florida School of Medicine; and the Department of Infection Control, Shands Hospital, Gainesville, Florida
Robert J. Sherertz*
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease; Department of Pediatrics, Division of Infectious Disease, University of Florida School of Medicine; and the Department of Infection Control, Shands Hospital, Gainesville, Florida
Marsha L. Sullivan
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease; Department of Pediatrics, Division of Infectious Disease, University of Florida School of Medicine; and the Department of Infection Control, Shands Hospital, Gainesville, Florida
Beverly A. Russell
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease; Department of Pediatrics, Division of Infectious Disease, University of Florida School of Medicine; and the Department of Infection Control, Shands Hospital, Gainesville, Florida
Peter D. Reumen
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease; Department of Pediatrics, Division of Infectious Disease, University of Florida School of Medicine; and the Department of Infection Control, Shands Hospital, Gainesville, Florida
*
Division of Infectious Disease, Box J-277 JHMHC, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610
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Abstract

In late January and early February 1983, an outbreak of skin infections (7 of 145 infants) caused by a penicillin/erythromycin resistant strain of Staphylococcus aureus (SA), phage type 3A/3C, occurred in our newborn nursery. A week following the first cluster of infections, another nursery outbreak due to SA with the same antibiogram occurred in a nearby community hospital (11 of 114 infants). Subsequently, a second cluster of infections with the same SA was identified at our nursery. The epidemic strain was carried in the anterior nares of a single nurse who worked at both hospital nurseries on alternate weeks. Investigation revealed that the nurse had an upper respiratory tract infection during each of these outbreaks—simulating “a cloud baby.” No further infections have occurred since this nurse was treated and her SA nasal carrier state eliminated.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 7 , Issue 10 , October 1986 , pp. 487 - 490
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 1986

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