From Nov. 2009-Feb. 2010, in addition to staff education and promotion of hand hygiene, reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction for norovirus was performed as an added test. The incidence of hospital-acquired norovirus infection per 1,000 potentially infectious patient-days was compared with the corresponding period in the previous 12 months.
Of the 988 patients who were tested, 242 (25 percent) tested positive for norovirus; 114 (47 percent) of the infected 242 patients had their infection detected by the added test. Compared with the corresponding period in the previous 12 months, the incidence of hospital-acquired norovirus infection decreased from 131 to 16 cases per 1,000 potentially infectious patient-days, according to the study.
Read the study about norovirus prevention.
Read other coverage about norovirus:
– Environmental Cleaning and Disinfection: What Infection Preventionists Need to Know
