The source of infection in Pemphigus neonatorum

An outbreak of eighteen cases of pemphigus neonatorum in a maternity department is described. Strains of Staph. aureus isolated from the infants, the mothers and the staff during several weeks of intensive investigations were classified by phage typing. The findings indicated that, during the latter part of the outbreak at least, the adults were not the source of infection. There was evidence of wide dissemination of the epidemic strain of Staph. aureus among the healthy infants in the nursery. It is suggested that the main path of infection was from infant to infant. Methods of controlling established outbreaks are discussed.