Outbreak management and implications of a nosocomial norovirus outbreak.

The study identified 355 cases that affected 90 patients and 265 healthcare workers and that were clustered in the coronary care unit and psychiatry units. Attack rates were 5.3% (7 of 133) for patients and 29.9% (29 of 97) for healthcare workers in the coronary care unit and 16.7% (39 of 233) for patients and 38.0% (76 of 200) for healthcare workers in the psychiatry units. Aggressive infection-control measures, including closure of units and thorough disinfection using sodium hypochlorite, were required to terminate the outbreak. Costs associated with this outbreak were estimated to be $657,644. The authors conclude that the significant disruption of patient care and cost of the outbreak support aggressive efforts to prevent transmission of noroviruses in health care settings. Clinical Infectious Diseases 2007;45(5):534-40.