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research-article |
Outbreak of Echo Virus Type 11 Infection in Newborn Infants in a Maternity Ward: Clinical Presentation

*Paediatric Unit, Princess Margaret Hospital Hong Kong
**Obstetric Unit, Princess Margaret Hospital Hong Kong
***North-west NT Regional Office, Medical and Health Department Hong Kong
Virus Unit, Queen Mary Hospital Hong Kong
Dr C. B. Chow, Paediatric A Unit, Princess Margaret Hospital, Hong Kong
In July, 1985 an epidemic of echovirus 11 infection involving 11 newborn babies occurred in the nursery of a maternity unit in Hong Kong. The outbreak lasted for 2 weeks and was terminated upon the closure of the nursery. All presented with acutely high fever and the clinical illness was indistinguishable from that of sepsis of the newborn. Irritability, diarrhoea, and vomiting were the other common presenting features while rash and cardiac arrhythmia were not noted in any of them. There was no mortality. At least seven babies had meningitis, and all were normal developmentally and neurologically at 6 months of age.