Investigation of a Varicella-zoster Virus Infection Outbreak in an Acute Psychiatric Ward, Taipei City, 2023

Chih-Han Chou*、Hsin-Yi Wei、Pei-Chen Chen、Wan-Lin Hsu、Hsiao-Ping Tung、Shih-Hao Liu

2025 Vol.41 No.10

Correspondence Author： Chih-Han Chou

Abstract：

    On April 20, 2023, Taiwan Centers for Disease Control received a notification that a nurse and two patients had been diagnosed with chickenpox in the acute psychiatric ward of a hospital in northern Taiwan. In response to the outbreak, the Department of Health, Taipei City Government, promptly launched an investigation and implemented control measures.
    The investigation revealed that a patient in the ward had developed shingles on March 21.  However, no isolation measures were taken. Subsequently, within the same ward, chickenpox was diagnosed in five individuals between March 31 and April 17, with two patients sharing the same room, two patients in other rooms, and one nurse. 
    Chickenpox is highly contagious in the early stage of disease onset. It can be transmitted by individuals infected with the virus before they show symptoms. The virus can also spread from patients with shingles. Given the frequent interactions among patients in acute psychiatric wards, it is recommended that appropriate isolation measures be implemented for shingles patients to reduce the risk of transmission.

Keywords：Shingles, chickenpox, Varicella-zoster virus, chickenpox vaccine, isolation, acute psychiatric ward