A cohort study of health care workers to assess nosocomial transmissibility of Nipah virus, Malaysia, 1999

Anthony W. Mounts, Hanjeet Kaur, Umesh D. Parashar, Thomas G. Ksiazek, Deborah Cannon, John T. Arokiasamy, Larry J. Anderson, M. S. Lye

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

100 Scopus citations

Abstract

During 1998-1999, an outbreak of Nipah virus encephalitis occurred in Malaysia. To assess the possibility of nosocomial transmission, 338 health care workers (HCWs) exposed and 288 HCWs unexposed to outbreak-related patients were surveyed, and their serum samples were tested for anti-Nipah virus antibody. Needlestick injuries were reported by 12 (3%) HCWs, mucosal surface exposure to body fluids by 39 (11%), and skin exposure to body fluids by 89 (25%). No encephalitis occurred in either group. Three exposed and no unexposed HCWs tested positive by EIA for IgG antibodies. It is likely that these 3 were false positives; no IgM response occurred, and the serum samples were negative for anti-Nipah virus neutralizing antibodies. The risk of nosocomial transmission of Nipah virus appears to be low; however, given the high case-fatality rate and the presence of virus in respiratory secretions and urine of some patients, standard and droplet infection-control practices should be maintained with these patients.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)810-813
Number of pages4
JournalJournal of Infectious Diseases
Volume183
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 1 2001
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Immunology and Allergy
  • Infectious Diseases

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