Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-4hhp2 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-03T14:32:42.941Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Nosocomial Ringworm in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Nurse and Her Cat

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Lewis M. Drusin*
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, New York Department of Public Health, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, New York Department of Epidemiology, New York-Cornell Campus of New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, New York
Barbara G. Ross
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology, New York-Cornell Campus of New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, New York
Karen Helton Rhodes
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine, The Animal Medical Center, New York, New York
Alfred N. Krauss
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, New York
Rachelle A. Scott
Affiliation:
Department of Dermatology, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, New York
*
Department of Epidemiology, New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York-Cornell Campus, 525 East 68th St, New York, NY 10021

Abstract

An outbreak of nosocomial ringworm involved five infants in a neonatal intensive care unit. The index case was a nurse infected with Microsporum canis by her cat. After standard infection control measures were initiated, the outbreak was resolved successfully by an interdisciplinary professional collaboration of physician and veterinary dermatologists and infection control personnel.

Type
Concise Communication
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 2000

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Larone, DH. Medically Important Fungi: A Guide to Identification. 3rd ed. Washington, DC: ASM Press; 1995.Google Scholar
2. MacKenzie, DWR. “Hairbrush diagnosis” in detection and eradication of non-fluorescent scalp ringworm. BMJ 1963;2:363365.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3. Hay, RJ. Dermatophytosis and other superficial mycoses. In: Mandell, G, Bennett, JE, Dolin, R. eds. Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 4th ed. New York, NY: Churchill Livingstone; 1995:23752386.Google Scholar
4. Jacobs, AH, O'Connell, BM. Tinea in tiny tots. Am J Dis Child 1986;140:10341038.Google ScholarPubMed
5. Feuerman, AEJ, Grunwald, M, Shvili, D. Tinea capitis due to Microsporum canis in infants. Mycopathologia 1984;86:8991.Google Scholar
6. Hiruma, M, Kukita, A. Tinea faciei caused by Microsporum canis in a newborn. Dermatologica 1988;176:130132.Google Scholar
7. Jacobs, AH, Jacobs, PH, Mone, N. Tinea facei due to Microsporum canis in an eight-day-old infant. JAMA 1972;219:1476.Google Scholar
8. Nelson, JD. The newborn nursery. In: Bennett, JV, Brachman, PS, eds. Hospital Infections. 3rd ed. Boston, MA: Little Brown & Co; 1992:441460.Google Scholar
9. Mossovitch, M, Mossovitch, B, Alkan, M. Nosocomial dermatophytosis caused by Microsporum canis in a newborn department. Infect Control 1986;7:593595.Google Scholar
10. Snider, R, Landers, S, Levy, ML. The ringworm riddle: an outbreak of Microsporum canis in the nursery. Pediatr Infect Dis J 1993;12:145148.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
11. Harpin, VA, Rutter, N. Barrier properties of newborn infant's skin. J Pediatr 1983;102:419425.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12. Steere, AC, Mallison, GF. Handwashing practices for the prevention of nosocomial infections. Ann Intern Med 1975;83:683690.Google Scholar