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Volume 21, Number 7—July 2015
Research

Lack of Transmission among Close Contacts of Patient with Case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Imported into the United States, 2014

Lucy Breakwell1, Kimberly Pringle1, Nora Chea1, Donna Allen, Steve Allen, Shawn Richards, Pam Pantones, Michelle Sandoval, Lixia Liu, Michael Vernon, Craig Conover, Rashmi Chugh, Alfred DeMaria, Rachel Burns, Sandra Smole, Susan I. Gerber, Nicole J Cohen, David T. Kuhar, Lia M. Haynes, Eileen Schneider, Alan Kumar, Minal Kapoor, Marlene Madrigal, David L. Swerdlow, and Daniel R. FeikinComments to Author 
Author affiliations: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA (L. Breakwell, K. Pringle, N. Chea, M. Sandoval, S.I. Gerber, N.J. Cohen, D. Kuhar, L.M. Haynes, E. Schneider, D.L. Swerdlow, D.R. Feikin); Indiana State Health Department, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA (D. Allen, S. Allen, S. Richards, P. Pantones, M. Sandoval, L. Liu); Cook County Department of Public Health, Oak Forest, Illinois, USA (M. Vernon); Illinois Department of Public Health, Chicago, Illinois, USA (C. Conover); DuPage County Health Department, Wheaton, Illinois, USA (R. Chugh); Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, USA (A. DeMaria, R. Burns, S. Smole); Community Hospital, Munster, Indiana, USA (A. Kumar, M. Kapoor, M. Madrigal)

Main Article

Table

Demographic, employment, and exposure information for health care personnel contacts of patient with the first imported case of Middle East respiratory syndrome into the United States, 2014*

Health care personnel data No. (%)
Sex
M 7 (16)
F
 38 (84)
Age group, y
<30 13 (29)
30–39 9 (20)
40–65
 23 (51)
Occupation
Administration 3 (7)
Housekeeping 2 (4)
Medical doctor 3 (7)
Nurse practitioner 1 (2)
Nursing assistant 10 (22)
Phlebotomist 4 (9)
Radiology technician 4 (9)
Respiratory therapist 6 (13)
Registered nurse 11 (24)
Social personnel
 1 (2)
Primary employment location in hospital
Ward 21 (47)
Emergency department 11 (24)
Multiple locations 12 (27)
Computed tomography suite
 1 (2)
Personal protective equipment worn while in contact with the patient†
Gown 0
Goggles 2 (5)
N95 respirator 6 (14)
Surgical mask
 2 (5)
Pre-existing condition‡
Yes 4 (9)
No
 40 (89)
No. self-reported times HCP visited the patient’s room between 6:00 PM April 28 and 11:00 PM April 30
0 1 (2)
1 26 (58)
2–5 11 (24)
6–9 3 (7)
>10 4 (9)

*HCP, health care personnel; ward, patient’s hospital floor..
†Full personal protective equipment includes N95 respirator, goggles, gown and gloves.
‡Pre-existing conditions that may increase the risk of infection included current pregnancy, chronic steroid use and diabetes.

Main Article

1These authors contributed equally to this article.

Page created: June 12, 2015
Page updated: June 12, 2015
Page reviewed: June 12, 2015
The conclusions, findings, and opinions expressed by authors contributing to this journal do not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the authors' affiliated institutions. Use of trade names is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by any of the groups named above.
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