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Pseudo-Outbreak of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Due to Cross-Reactivity of Surfactant and a Rapid Immunoassay

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Dawn Terashita Gastelum ,
Ashley Peterson ,
Laurene Mascola ,
David Dassey  and
Elizabeth Camargo
Dawn Terashita Gastelum*
Affiliation:
Acute Communicable Disease Control, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Los Angeles, California
Ashley Peterson
Affiliation:
Acute Communicable Disease Control, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Los Angeles, California
Laurene Mascola
Affiliation:
Acute Communicable Disease Control, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Los Angeles, California
David Dassey
Affiliation:
Acute Communicable Disease Control, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Los Angeles, California
Elizabeth Camargo
Affiliation:
White Memorial Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
*
Acute Communicable Disease Control, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, 313 North Figueroa Street, Room 212, Los Angeles, CA 90012 (dterashita@ph.lacounty.gov)
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Abstract

We describe a pseudo-outbreak of respiratory syncytial virus infection in a neonatal intensive care unit at the White Memorial Medical Center in Los Angeles, California. Investigation of a reported cluster of cases in the early fall of 2007 identified false-positive results due to cross-reactivity between surfactant and a rapid immunoassay. This highlights the need for diagnosis confirmation, especially during periods of low disease prevalence.

Type
Concise Communications
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 30 , Issue 9 , September 2009 , pp. 890 - 892
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 2009

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References

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