Nosocomial mumps: Report of an outbreak and its control

Effects of Mumps Outbreak in Hospital, Chicago, Illinois, USA, 2006

“…The estimated herd immunity threshold for mumps ranges from 88% to 92%, and during the outbreak at NMH, 88% of our evaluated workforce reported mumps immunity. The experience nationally and at our institution supports the concept that an increased level of group-specific immunity may be required to prevent transmission in settings in which close or prolonged contact occurs, particularly in crowded conditions, such as those within healthcare institutions ( 9 , 13 , 15 ). The possibility of vaccine failure highlights the need to maximize immunity among HCWs with 2 doses of MMR vaccine and to address the age of administration of an MMR booster or the addition of a third vaccine dose to prevent future outbreaks ( 13 – 15 ).…”

“…Additionally, personnel most affected were from IC and from the neonatal ICU, the inpatient unit requiring the most staffing substitutions. In comparison, a nosocomial mumps outbreak in Utah in 1996 reported the total cost of the outbreak in an inpatient pediatric facility was $3,140, substantially lower than our cost ( 9 ). Examination of these 2 outbreaks, however, indicates that they are not comparable.…”

“…Transmission of mumps can occur within hospitals, but outbreaks with secondary transmission such as the one at NMH are rarely reported ( 8 , 9 ). One of the most widely reported incidents of nosocomial transmission occurred during a community mumps outbreak in Tennessee in 1986–1987 ( 8 ).…”

“…This situation is not unique to NMH. Analysis of previous mumps outbreaks identified complete and easily retrievable employee vaccination records as an integral step in reducing the resource and financial costs to the hospital ( 8 , 9 , 13 , 14 ). If employee health information was complete and accessible, more than one fourth of our outbreak cost might have been averted.…”

Guidance for Isolation Precautions for Mumps in the United States: A Review of the Scientific Basis for Policy Change

“…Siegel et al [25] described an institutional mumps outbreak that occurred in the first cottage where a newly admitted child spent 24 h before being transferred to another cottage where he developed parotitis 24 h later. In small hospitals studies, Brunell et al [26] and Fischer et al [27] demonstrated mumps virus transmission during the prodromal stage, because transmission of mumps virus occurred despite prompt isolation of the first case after parotitis onset. The findings by Brunell et al [26] are also highly suggestive of mumps virus transmission from subclinical infections.…”