An outbreak of rotavirus infection in a neonatal intensive care unit: A case–control study

Objective: This study aimed to retrospectively evaluate a rotavirus (RV) outbreak in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) with clinical signs and symptoms and complications in the cases. Material and Methods:A case-control study was conducted with RV infected and non-infected neonates in our 97-bed NICU between August 24, 2017, and November 08, 2017.Demographic, clinical, and laboratory features were evaluated.Results: The outbreak started on August 24, 2017, and the last case was detected on November 8, 2017.In the study period, 33 patients had a hospital-acquired RV infection during hospitalization.The number of screened neonates was 280, and the prevalence was 11.7% (33/280).For the control group, 47 neonates with no RV infection were randomly selected.Male was 57.6%, and the median postnatal age was 4.5 days.Premature was 32.1%, and low birth weight was 37.2%.There was no difference between case and control groups regarding gender, postnatal age, birth weight, gestational age, and mortality.Bloody stool was detected in 13 neonates who were RV infected (39.4%).Twelve neonates presented necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), and 11 of them were infected with RV.No neonate with RV infection presented complications from the central nervous system or intussusception.Bacterial co-infection was seen in 28.2% of all neonates, and there were no differences between case and control groups.However, the sepsis (clinical or proven) rate was higher in the case group than in the control group.C-reactive protein value was higher and metabolic acidosis was more frequent in the case group.The only variable related to the mortality was NEC.Conclusion: Although RV infection has a mild course in the neonatal period, patients should be followed up for complications like NEC.In hospitalized neonates, RV is transmitted in a high percentage.When an infection is detected in a NICU patient, all patients should be screened, and infection control measures should be strictly enforced.