Pneumonia cluster in a boarding school – implications for influenza control

Authors

  • Patrick Cashman Health Protection, Hunter New England Population Health, Hunter New England Area Health Service, New South Wales
  • Peter Massey Health Protection, Hunter New England Population Health, Hunter New England Area Health Service, New South Wales
  • David Durrheim Health Protection, Hunter New England Population Health, Hunter New England Area Health Service, New South Wales; Hunter Medical Research Institutes, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales
  • Fakhrul Islam Health Protection, Hunter New England Population Health, Hunter New England Area Health Service, New South Wales
  • Tony Merritt Health Protection, Hunter New England Population Health, Hunter New England Area Health Service, New South Wales
  • Keith Eastwood Health Protection, Hunter New England Population Health, Hunter New England Area Health Service, New South Wales

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33321/cdi.2007.31.30

Keywords:

Streptococcus pneumoniae, influenza, boarding school, school closure

Abstract

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a common cause of community acquired pneumonia (CAP). Influenza infection increases susceptibility to S. pneumoniae infection in adults but this link is less well described in children. We report on an outbreak of CAP affecting 25 previously well adolescents in a New South Wales boarding school. S. pneumoniae 1 was confirmed in two cases. During this period, the school also experienced an influenza outbreak with an influenza-like illness attack rate peaking at 27% in Year 8 students. A planned school closure may have contributed to controlling the outbreak. Boarding schools are vulnerable to outbreaks of respiratory illness and strategies for limiting this risk are required. Commun Dis Intell 2007;31:296–298.

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References

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Published

01/09/07

How to Cite

Cashman, Patrick, Peter Massey, David Durrheim, Fakhrul Islam, Tony Merritt, and Keith Eastwood. 2007. “Pneumonia Cluster in a Boarding School – Implications for Influenza Control”. Communicable Diseases Intelligence 31 (September):296-98. https://doi.org/10.33321/cdi.2007.31.30.

Issue

Vol. 31 (2007)

Section

Outbreak report

Categories

License

Copyright (c) 2007 Communicable Diseases Intelligence

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

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