A Cluster of Enterovirus Infection with Severe Complications in Northern Region of Taiwan, August 2012

Tzu-Yun Huang, Chia-Ping Su

2013 Vol.29 NO.1

Correspondence Author： Tzu-Yun Huang

Abstract：

        On August 6th, 2012, a three year-old boy was notified as a suspect case of enterovirus infection with severe complications (EVSC) by a medical center in the northern region of Taiwan. Unfortunately, this EVSC case died before dawn on August 5th, and followed by the notification of his twin brother as a suspect EVSC case on August 7th, 2012. These two suspect EVSC cases were confirmed as enterovirus 71 infection with severe complications. From the epidemiologic investigation, there were four contacts who were younger than five years old, and all of them fell ill and diagnosed as enterovirus infections. The objectives of this epidemiologic investigation were to elucidate the occurrence of entervirus infection clustering at the epidemic scene (household) and to avoid the consecutive waves of EVSC clustering among the contacted children. Our prevention and control measures were performing health education on how to prevent enterovirus infection for family members of ill children, providing isolated medical care to symptomatic children, and making daily telephone health care follow-up and reporting back to the Second Branch of Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (TCDC) during onset period by the local health bureau. Moreover, both of the Second Branch at TCDC and the local health bureau held Case Conference on EVSC accordingly in order to improve the ability of health care workers in diagnosing and managing cases contracted enterovirus infection through case discussion and experience sharing. Under the cooperative efforts of the health authorities and medical team, there was no any additional EVSC case since then.