Nosocomial measles transmission in a multidisciplinary pediatric hospital

   Objective. To find out reasons of nosocomial measles transmission in the multidisciplinary pediatric hospital.

   Materials and methods. He study included 180 patients, 158 caregivers of hospitalized children, and 73 healthcare workers of a pediatric hospital. Measles case identification was performed using a standard case definition. Laboratory confirmation was carried out using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to detect measles-specific IgM and IgG antibodies in blood serum, and polymerase chain reaction were used for differential diagnosis of respiratory viruses (nasopharyngeal swab).

   Results. A 9-month-old female patient presented with a typical clinical picture of measles; nevertheless, the diagnosis was established 5 hours after hospitalisation. Contact persons (patients, parents/guardians) were identified using the «Ariadna» medical information system, healthcare workers were identified according on departmental staffing records. Contacts were identified among other hospitalized persons from March 25, 2024, to March 30, 2024, in the same wards or adjacent rooms sharing a common ventilation system with the infected patient. Due to delayed diagnosis, 411 contacts were identified, and 4 patients were re-hospitalised with a diagnosis of measles.

   Conclusion. Viral exanthems require heightened diagnostic vigilance, particularly during epidemic rises in incidence of highly contagious infections such as measles. Improvement of patient routing algorithms with exanthematous diseases in multidisciplinary hospitals is warranted.

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