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Epidemic keratoconjunctivitis: efficacy of outbreak management
Cristina Martin1, Ursula Löw2, Adrien Quintin2
1Department of Ophthalmology, Saarland University Medical Center (UKS), Homburg, Saar, Germany. cristina.martin@uks.eu.
Summary
Implementing a strict hygienic outbreak management plan significantly reduced epidemic keratoconjunctivitis (EKC) cases. This strategy lowered the infection rate, demonstrating effective control of viral eye infections.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health
Background:
- Epidemic keratoconjunctivitis (EKC) is a severe viral ocular infection.
- Controlling nosocomial spread is critical during EKC outbreaks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantitatively evaluate the effectiveness of a novel hygienic outbreak management concept for EKC.
- To assess the impact of the implemented plan on reducing EKC transmission.
Main Methods:
- An interruptive time series study design was employed.
- Data were collected retrospectively from patient records (August-November 2018).
- Clinical diagnosis and PCR confirmation of adenovirus from conjunctival swabs were used.
Main Results:
- The outbreak involved 120 patients over 77 days.
- Adenovirus was confirmed in all positive cases (100%).
- The management plan significantly reduced EKC cases per day and the basic reproduction number by a factor of 2.2.
Conclusions:
- Early detection and immediate implementation of hygienic measures are key to controlling EKC spread.
- A strict outbreak management concept effectively reduces infection rates and associated costs.
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