Molecular investigations of an outbreak of parainfluenza virus type 3 and respiratory syncytial virus infections in a hematology unit.

ABSTRACT: A large simultaneous outbreak of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and parainfluenza type 3 (PIV-3) infections occurred on an adult hematology unit. Implementation of enhanced infection control was complicated by cocirculation of the two different viruses, with prolonged viral shedding from infected patients, and placed great pressure on health care staff; of 27 infected hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients, 9 died, and the unit was closed for 2 months. Retrospective molecular investigation of the virus strains involved in the outbreak was performed by analyzing part of the fusion gene of PIV-3 and part of the glycoprotein gene of RSV. Reverse transcription-PCR on nasopharyngeal aspirates from patients infected before and during the simultaneous outbreak generated amplicons for sequ

SUBMITTER: Jalal H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1933051 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature