A Diarrhea Outbreak Caused by Norovirus in a Hospital’s Psychiatric Wards, 2010

Tzu-Fen Chen, Su-Hua Huang, Mei-Man Hsu, Chi-Chuan Huang, Chao-Ching Chang,Li-Jen Lin, Min-Nan Hung

2011 Vol.27 NO.8

Correspondence Author: Tzu-Fen Chen

Abstract:

Taiwan CDC’s Fifth Branch received a report from a local health bureau on March 30, 2010, regarding residents in psychiatric wards of a hospital’s second, fifth and sixth floor had occurred diarrhea since March 24. Hence the Fifth Branch collaborated with the local health bureau launched the epidemic investigation and recommended the implementation of related control measures. A total of 37 residents and a physician presented diarrhea and vomit during March 24 to April 12. The total attack rate for residents was 18.5% (37/200). Samples tested from four affected residents showed three positive for norovirus. Since it is the endemic season of norovirus and clinical symptoms of cases consistent with norovirus infection, thus norovirus was determined to be the pathogen of this diarrhea cluster.
The institution had implemented nosocomial gastrointestinal infection control measures including strengthening cases isolation, environmental disinfection, and full control of residents’ transfer and admission, this cluster was not further spread to other floors. As of April 19, no further diarrhea case was detected.