Nosocomial Outbreak of Arenavirus Infection | CDC EID

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Volume 15, Number 10–October 2009
Research
Nosocomial Outbreak of Novel Arenavirus Infection, Southern Africa
Janusz T. Paweska, Nivesh H. Sewlall, Thomas G. Ksiazek, Lucille H. Blumberg, Martin J. Hale, W. Ian Lipkin, Jacqueline Weyer, Stuart T. Nichol, Pierre E. Rollin, Laura K. McMullan, Christopher D. Paddock, Thomas Briese, Joy Mnyaluza, Thu-Ha Dinh, Victor Mukonka, Pamela Ching, Adriano Duse, Guy Richards, Gillian de Jong, Cheryl Cohen, Bridget Ikalafeng, Charles Mugero, Chika Asomugha, Mirriam M. Malotle, Dorothy M. Nteo, Eunice Misiani, Robert Swanepoel, Sherif R. Zaki, and members of the Outbreak Control and Investigation Teams1
Author affiliations: National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Sandringham, South Africa (J.T. Paweska, L.H. Blumberg, J. Weyer, G de Jong, C. Cohen, R. Swanepoel); University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa (N.H. Sewlall, M.J. Hale, A. Duse); Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, Georgia, USA (T.G. Ksiazek, S.T. Nichol, P.E. Rollin, L.K. McMullan, C.D. Paddock, T.-H. Dinh, S.R. Zaki); Columbia University, New York, New York, USA (W.I. Lipkin, T. Briese); Gauteng Department of Health, Johannesburg (J. Mnyaluza, B. Ikalafeng, C. Asomugha); CDC Global AIDS Program, Pretoria, South Africa (T.-H. Dinh); Ministry of Health, Lusaka, Zambia (V. Mukonka); CDC Global AIDS Program, Lusaka (P. Ching); Charlotte Maxeke Hospital, Johannesburg (G. Richards); National Department of Health, Pretoria (C. Mugero, E. Misiani); Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme, Johannesburg (M.M. Malotle, D.M. Nteo); and University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA (T.G. Ksiasek)

Suggested citation for this article

Abstract
A nosocomial outbreak of disease involving 5 patients, 4 of whom died, occurred in South Africa during September–October 2008. The first patient had been transferred from Zambia to South Africa for medical management. Three cases involved secondary spread of infection from the first patient, and 1 was a tertiary infection. A novel arenavirus was identified. The source of the first patient's infection remains undetermined.

Arenaviruses associated with rodents are known to cause fatal hemorrhagic fevers in humans in South America and West Africa. We describe a nosocomial outbreak of infection with a novel arenavirus involving 5 patients, 4 of whom died, which occurred in South Africa in September–October 2008. The first patient was transferred from Zambia to South Africa for medical management. The source of her infection remains undetermined. Three cases involved secondary spread of infection from the first patient, and 1 tertiary infection occurred.

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