Transmission of norovirus on cruise ships is quite common, but Kirking HL, et al. (2010) report on possible transmission on an airplane. The researchers looked at the experiences of the members of a tour group who had diarrhea and vomiting throughout a flight from Boston to Los Angeles in 2008, resulting in an emergency diversion three hours after takeoff. An investigation was conducted to determine the cause of the outbreak, assess whether transmission occurred on the airplane, and describe risk factors for transmission.
Passengers and crew were contacted to obtain information about demographics, symptoms, locations on the airplane, and possible risk factors for transmission. Case patients were defined as passengers with vomiting or diarrhea (three loose stools in 24 hours) and were asked to submit stool samples for norovirus testing by realtime reversetranscription polymerase chain reaction.
The researchers discovered that 36 (88 percent) of 41 tour group members were interviewed, and 15 (41 percent) met the case definition (peak date of illness onset, 8 October 2008). Of 106 passengers who were not tour group members, 85 (80 percent) were interviewed, and 7 (8 percent) met the case definition after the flight (peak date of illness onset, 10 October 2008). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that sitting in an aisle seat (adjusted relative risk, 11.0; 95 percent confidence interval, 1.4–84.9) and sitting near any tour group member (adjusted relative risk, 7.5; 95 percent confidence interval, 1.7–33.6) were associated with the development of illness. Norovirus genotype II was detected by reversetranscription polymerase chain reaction in stool samples from case patients in both groups.
The researchers concluded that despite the short duration, transmission of norovirus likely occurred during the flight. The study was published in the May issue of the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.
Reference: Kirking HL, et al. Likely transmission of norovirus on an airplane, October 2008. Clin Infect Dis. 2010;50:1216-1221.
Dear Helpdesk: Working in a Toxic Health Care Environment
March 28th 2024Dear Helpdesk is your steadfast companion, offering life coaching and workplace advice from 2 seasoned IPs for some of your most challenging real-life situations. Let us help you navigate the intersection between work and life, guiding you to navigate the dynamic world of infection prevention with confidence and grace. This article is on handling a toxic health care environment.
Product Locator: Spring and Early Mother's Day Gift Guide for Infection Prevention Personnel
March 27th 2024Whether it's a spring holiday, birthdays, or no reason at all, infection prevention personnel love to give and receive gifts that help at the end of a stressful day. Infection Control Today® offers some gift ideas for infection prevention personnel and their families.
Catching Up With Vangie Dennis, AORN 2022-2023 President at AORN 2024
March 26th 2024Infection Control Today (ICT) had the privilege of catching up with Vangie Dennis, MSN, RN, CNOR, CMLSO, at the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses' (AORN’s) International Surgical Conference & Expo 2024. As the former president of AORN and an esteemed figure in perioperative services, Vangie Dennis shared insights into her recent endeavors and the exciting new chapter she's embarked upon.
How To Optimize Your Time Management Strategies for the Busy Infection Preventionist
March 25th 2024Is your calendar resembling a chaotic masterpiece of overlapping tasks? Join the club of infection preventionists striving to balance responsibilities. Dive into proven strategies from a fellow infection preventionist to reclaim control of your time, streamline tasks, and boost productivity effectively. This is an IP Lifeline article.