 |
|
Management of Varicella Exposure in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Susan V. Lipton, MD, MPH;
Philip A. Brunell, MD
JAMA. 1989;261(12):1782-1784.
Abstract
| |
We describe the management of an exposure to varicella in a neonatal intensive care unit. Thirty-seven hospital staff members with negative histories of varicella were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for antibody to varicella zoster; all were seropositive. None were restricted from clinical duties, were given varicella-zoster immune globulin, or developed disease. Although only 1 of 38 cord serum samples from normal term infants was seronegative, 10 of 22 neonatal intensive care unit infants were seronegative. The high rate of seronegativity among these patients was related to chronological age older than 2 months and to multiple transfusions of packed red blood cells. This probably reflects natural catabolism of maternal antibody and loss of antibody in serum removed from these infants for diagnostic tests. Infants lacking antibody were given varicella-zoster immune globulin. Antibody levels following administration of varicella-zoster immune globulin were directly related to the dose administered.
(JAMA. 1989;261:1782-1784)
Author Affiliations
From the Department of Pediatrics, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio. Dr Brunell is now with the Department of Pediatrics, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, Calif.
Footnotes
Reprint requests to Department of Pediatrics, The University of Texas Health Science Center, 7703 Floyd Curl Dr, San Antonio, TX 78284-7811 (Dr Lipton).
 CiteULike  Connotea  Del.icio.us  Digg  Reddit  Technorati  Twitter
What's this?
THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES
Measles Antibody Titers in Early Infancy
Kamat et al.
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 1994;148:694-698.
ABSTRACT
Neonatal Intensive Care: At What Price?
BEDRICK
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 1989;143:451-452.
ABSTRACT
|
