Abstract
The minimum spanning tree (MST) model was applied to identify the history of transmission of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in an outbreak involving five children attending a pediatric oncology-hematology outpatient ward between 1992 and 2000. We collected blood samples from all children attending since 1992, all household contacts, and one health care worker positive for antibody to HCV (anti-HCV). HCV RNA detection was performed with these samples and with smears of routinely collected bone marrow samples. For all isolates, we performed sequence analysis and phylogenetic tree analysis of hypervariable region 1 of the E2 gene. The MST model was applied to clinical-epidemiological and molecular data. No additional cases were detected. All children, bat not the health care worker, showed genotype 3a. On six occasions, all but one child had shared the medication room with another patient who later seroconverted. HCV RNA detection in bone marrow smears revealed, in some cases, a delay of several months in anti-HCV responses. Sequence analysis and phylogenetic tree analysis revealed a high identity among the isolates. The MST model applied to molecular data, together with the clinical-epidemiological data, allowed us to identify the source of the outbreak and the most probable patient-to-patient chain of transmission. The management of central venous catheters was suspected to be the probable route of transmission. In conclusion, the MST model, supported by an exhaustive clinkal-epidemiological investigation, appears to be a useful tool in tracing the history of transmission in outbreaks of HCV infection.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 4230-4236 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Journal of Clinical Microbiology |
| Volume | 42 |
| Issue number | 9 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Sep 2004 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Microbiology (medical)
- Microbiology
Cite this
Use of the minimum spanning tree model for molecular epidemiological investigation of a nosocomial outbreak of hepatitis C virus infection. / Spada, Enea; Sagliocca, Luciano; Sourdis, John; Garbuglia, Anna Rosa; Poggi, Vincenzo; De Fusco, Carmela; Mele, Alfonso.
In: Journal of Clinical Microbiology, Vol. 42, No. 9, 09.2004, p. 4230-4236.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Use of the minimum spanning tree model for molecular epidemiological investigation of a nosocomial outbreak of hepatitis C virus infection
AU - Spada, Enea
AU - Sagliocca, Luciano
AU - Sourdis, John
AU - Garbuglia, Anna Rosa
AU - Poggi, Vincenzo
AU - De Fusco, Carmela
AU - Mele, Alfonso
PY - 2004/9
Y1 - 2004/9
N2 - The minimum spanning tree (MST) model was applied to identify the history of transmission of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in an outbreak involving five children attending a pediatric oncology-hematology outpatient ward between 1992 and 2000. We collected blood samples from all children attending since 1992, all household contacts, and one health care worker positive for antibody to HCV (anti-HCV). HCV RNA detection was performed with these samples and with smears of routinely collected bone marrow samples. For all isolates, we performed sequence analysis and phylogenetic tree analysis of hypervariable region 1 of the E2 gene. The MST model was applied to clinical-epidemiological and molecular data. No additional cases were detected. All children, bat not the health care worker, showed genotype 3a. On six occasions, all but one child had shared the medication room with another patient who later seroconverted. HCV RNA detection in bone marrow smears revealed, in some cases, a delay of several months in anti-HCV responses. Sequence analysis and phylogenetic tree analysis revealed a high identity among the isolates. The MST model applied to molecular data, together with the clinical-epidemiological data, allowed us to identify the source of the outbreak and the most probable patient-to-patient chain of transmission. The management of central venous catheters was suspected to be the probable route of transmission. In conclusion, the MST model, supported by an exhaustive clinkal-epidemiological investigation, appears to be a useful tool in tracing the history of transmission in outbreaks of HCV infection.
AB - The minimum spanning tree (MST) model was applied to identify the history of transmission of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in an outbreak involving five children attending a pediatric oncology-hematology outpatient ward between 1992 and 2000. We collected blood samples from all children attending since 1992, all household contacts, and one health care worker positive for antibody to HCV (anti-HCV). HCV RNA detection was performed with these samples and with smears of routinely collected bone marrow samples. For all isolates, we performed sequence analysis and phylogenetic tree analysis of hypervariable region 1 of the E2 gene. The MST model was applied to clinical-epidemiological and molecular data. No additional cases were detected. All children, bat not the health care worker, showed genotype 3a. On six occasions, all but one child had shared the medication room with another patient who later seroconverted. HCV RNA detection in bone marrow smears revealed, in some cases, a delay of several months in anti-HCV responses. Sequence analysis and phylogenetic tree analysis revealed a high identity among the isolates. The MST model applied to molecular data, together with the clinical-epidemiological data, allowed us to identify the source of the outbreak and the most probable patient-to-patient chain of transmission. The management of central venous catheters was suspected to be the probable route of transmission. In conclusion, the MST model, supported by an exhaustive clinkal-epidemiological investigation, appears to be a useful tool in tracing the history of transmission in outbreaks of HCV infection.
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U2 - 10.1128/JCM.42.9.4230-4236.2004
DO - 10.1128/JCM.42.9.4230-4236.2004
M3 - Article
VL - 42
SP - 4230
EP - 4236
JO - Journal of Clinical Microbiology
JF - Journal of Clinical Microbiology
SN - 0095-1137
IS - 9
ER -