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Sick-hospital syndrome.

P W Brandt-Rauf¹, L R Andrews, J Schwarz-Miller

¹Division of Environmental Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032.

Journal of Occupational Medicine. : Official Publication of the Industrial Medical Association

|June 1, 1991

Summary

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A hospital outbreak caused eye and respiratory irritation in staff. Despite initial fixes and investigations, symptoms persisted, highlighting a complex building-associated illness case.

Area of Science:

Occupational Health
Environmental Medicine
Hospital Epidemiology

Background:

An outbreak of symptoms including eye/respiratory irritation, headache, dizziness, fatigue, and nausea affected operating room personnel.
Initial suspected cause was diesel exhaust infiltration into the hospital ventilation system.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the cause and nature of a persistent illness outbreak among hospital staff.
To evaluate the role of environmental factors and medical conditions in the outbreak.

Main Methods:

Industrial hygiene assessment including air monitoring for carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, and anesthetic gases.
Medical evaluation involving review of patient records and examinations.

Main Results:

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Symptoms persisted in personnel even after the suspected diesel exhaust issue was corrected.
Air monitoring and medical evaluations did not reveal an ongoing noxious exposure or specific medical cause.
The illness resolved gradually over several weeks without a definitive identified ongoing cause.

Conclusions:

The outbreak was classified as a building-associated illness in a healthcare setting.
A single, identifiable noxious exposure initially triggered the symptoms.
The illness pattern suggests a complex interplay of factors, persisting beyond the initial trigger despite no apparent ongoing exposure.