- Epidemiological Investigation of an Outbreak of Hepatitis A at a Residential Facility for the Disabled, 2011
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Hyun-Sul Lim, Kumbal Choi, Saerom Lee
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J Prev Med Public Health. 2013;46(2):62-73. Published online March 28, 2013
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3961/jpmph.2013.46.2.62
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An outbreak of hepatitis A occurred at a residential facility for the disabled in July 10, 2011. This investigation was carried out to develop a response plan, and to find the infection source of the disease. MethodsA field epidemiologist investigated the symptoms, vaccination histories, living environments, and probable infection sources with 51 residents and 31 teachers and staff members. In July 25, 81 subjects were tested for the hepatitis A virus antibody, and specimens of the initial 3 cases and the last case were genetically tested. ResultsThree cases occurred July 10 to 14, twelve cases August 3 to 9, and the last case on August 29. Among the teachers and staff, no one was IgM positive (on July 25). The base sequences of the initial 3 and of the last case were identical. The vehicle of the outbreak was believed to be a single person. The initial 3 patients were exposed at the same time and they might have disseminated the infection among the patients who developed symptoms in early August, and the last patient might have, in turn, been infected by the early August cases. ConclusionsThe initial source of infection is not clear, but volunteers could freely come into contact with residents, and an infected volunteer might have been the common infection source of the initial patients. Volunteers' washing their hands only after their activity might be the cause of this outbreak. Although there may be other possible causes, it would be reasonable to ask volunteers to wash their hands both before and after their activities.
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- Prevention of Hepatitis A Virus Infection in the United States: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, 2020
Noele P. Nelson, Mark K. Weng, Megan G. Hofmeister, Kelly L. Moore, Mona Doshani, Saleem Kamili, Alaya Koneru, Penina Haber, Liesl Hagan, José R. Romero, Sarah Schillie, Aaron M. Harris MMWR. Recommendations and Reports.2020; 69(5): 1. CrossRef - Outbreak of Hepatitis A Virus Infection Among Adult Patients of a Mental Hospital — Los Angeles County, 2017
Curtis Croker, Susan Hathaway, Amy Marutani, Margilane Hernandez, Crystal Cadavid, Shobita Rajagopalan, Bessie Hwang, Moon Kim Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology.2018; 39(07): 881. CrossRef - Estimating human-to-human transmissibility of hepatitis A virus in an outbreak at an elementary school in China, 2011
Xu-Sheng Zhang, Giovanni Lo Iacono, Eric HY Lau PLOS ONE.2018; 13(9): e0204201. CrossRef - Source identification through social networks in an epidemiological investigation of a hepatitis A outbreak at an elementary school in Anhui province, China
J. B. WU, X. L. LI, J. ZHANG, D. XU, J. J. ZHU, B. S. ZHOU Epidemiology and Infection.2014; 142(7): 1450. CrossRef
- Vaccine Storage Practices and the Effects of Education in Some Private Medical Institutions
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Saerom Lee, Hyun-Sul Lim, Ohyon Kim, Jeonggyeong Nam, Yeongsun Kim, Hyungrae Woo, Woojin Noh, Kyenam Kim
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J Prev Med Public Health. 2012;45(2):78-89. Published online March 31, 2012
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3961/jpmph.2012.45.2.78
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10,038
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81
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Although vaccination rates have increased, problems still remain in the storage and handling of vaccines. This study focused on inspecting actual vaccine storage status and awareness, and comparing them before and after education was provided. MethodsIn the primary inspection, a status survey checklist was completed by visual inspection. A questionnaire on the awareness of proper vaccine storage and handling was also administered to vaccine administrators in private medical institutions in 4 regions in Gyeongsangbuk-province. One-on-one education was then carried out, and our self-produced manual on safe vaccine storage and management methods was provided. In the secondary inspection, the investigators visited the same medical institutions and used the same questionnaire and checklist used during the primary inspection. The results before and after education were compared, by treating each appropriate answer as 1 point. ResultsThe average checklists score was 9.74 (out of 15 points), which increased significantly after education was provided (by 0.84, p<0.001). The participants demonstrated improved practices in recording storage temperatures (p=0.016), storing vaccines in the center of the refrigerator (p=0.004), storing vaccines with other medication and non-medical items (p=0.031) after education. The average score calculated from the questionnaires was 10.48 (out of 14 points), which increased after education (by 1.03, p<0.001). ConclusionsThis study suggests that vaccine storage practices and awareness are inadequate, but can be partially improved by providing relevant education. Repetitive education and policy-making are required to store vaccines safely because one-off education and unenforced guidelines offer limited efficacy.
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- Effectiveness of the online-eLearning program KeepCoool at improving the vaccine cold chain in general practices
Anika Thielmann, Marie-Therese Schmitz, Thomas Welchowski, Birgitta Weltermann, Pasyodun Koralage Buddhika Mahesh PLOS ONE.2024; 19(4): e0301847. CrossRef - Impfstoffmanagement in der ambulanten Versorgung: ein systematischer
Review internationaler Empfehlungen und Implikationen für das deutsche
Gesundheitswesen.
Laura Knepper, Christiane Stieber, Birgitta Weltermann Das Gesundheitswesen.2023; 85(10): 857. CrossRef - Impact of educational intervention on the best immunization practices among practicing health care professionals in a south Indian city
Juny Sebastian, Gurumurthy Parthasarathi, Mandyam Dhati Ravi Therapeutic Advances in Vaccines and Immunotherapy.2021;[Epub] CrossRef - Improving knowledge on vaccine storage management in general practices: Learning effectiveness of an online-based program
Anika Thielmann, Marie-Therese Puth, Birgitta Weltermann Vaccine.2020; 38(47): 7551. CrossRef - Vaccine cold chain in general practices: A prospective study in 75 refrigerators (Keep Cool study)
Anika Thielmann, Marie-Therese Puth, Christine Kersting, Johannes Porz, Birgitta Weltermann, Sanjai Kumar PLOS ONE.2019; 14(11): e0224972. CrossRef - Visual inspection of vaccine storage conditions in general practices: A study of 75 vaccine refrigerators
Anika Thielmann, Marie-Therese Puth, Birgitta Weltermann, Abhijit P. Pakhare PLOS ONE.2019; 14(12): e0225764. CrossRef - Safety of vaccines that have been kept outside of recommended temperatures: Reports to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), 2008–2012
Beth F. Hibbs, Elaine Miller, Jing Shi, Kamesha Smith, Paige Lewis, Tom T. Shimabukuro Vaccine.2018; 36(4): 553. CrossRef - Good vaccination practice: it all starts with a good vaccine storage temperature
Frédéric Vangroenweghe Porcine Health Management.2017;[Epub] CrossRef - Effectiveness of a web-based education program to improve vaccine storage conditions in primary care (Keep Cool): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial
Anika Thielmann, Anja Viehmann, Birgitta M. Weltermann Trials.2015;[Epub] CrossRef
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