A parainfluenza virus type 3 outbreak at a residential aged care facility: The role of microbiologic testing in early identification and antimicrobial stewardship

Susan Ryan; Elizabeth Gillespie; Rhonda L Stuart

doi:10.1016/j.ajic.2016.06.032

A parainfluenza virus type 3 outbreak at a residential aged care facility: The role of microbiologic testing in early identification and antimicrobial stewardship

Am J Infect Control. 2017 Feb 1;45(2):203-205. doi: 10.1016/j.ajic.2016.06.032. Epub 2016 Sep 21.

Authors

Susan Ryan¹, Elizabeth Gillespie², Rhonda L Stuart³

Affiliations

¹ Infection Control and Epidemiology Unit, Monash Health, Clayton, VIC, Australia. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Infection Control and Epidemiology Unit, Monash Health, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
³ Infection Control and Epidemiology Unit, Monash Infectious Diseases, Monash Health, Clayton, VIC, Australia; Department of Medicine, National Centre for Antimicrobial Stewardship, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.

PMID: 27665033
DOI: 10.1016/j.ajic.2016.06.032

Abstract

We report an outbreak of parainfluenza 3, which had an attack rate of 30%, in a residential care facility in Melbourne, Australia. One-fifth of affected residents required hospitalization, but there were no deaths. The outbreak demonstrated the value of active surveillance and early microbiologic testing and the urgent need for antimicrobial stewardship programs in the aged care setting.

Keywords: Antimicrobial stewardship; Microbiologic testing; Outbreak; Parainfluenza; Residential aged care.

MeSH terms

Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Anti-Bacterial Agents / administration & dosage
Australia / epidemiology
Disease Outbreaks*
Drug Utilization / standards
Early Diagnosis
Epidemiological Monitoring
Female
Homes for the Aged
Humans
Male
Parainfluenza Virus 3, Human / isolation & purification*
Respirovirus Infections / diagnosis
Respirovirus Infections / epidemiology*
Respirovirus Infections / virology

Substances

Anti-Bacterial Agents