New Jersey: Adenovirus kills seven children at Wanaque Center

Seven children have died and others remain ill from a viral outbreak in a retirement home and rehabilitation center in New Jersey, health officials said.

Officials from the New Jersey Department of Health said Wednesday that the seven "medically fragile children" were among the 18 confirmed cases of adenovirus in pediatric patients at the Wanaque Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation in Haskell, not far from the border with New York. According to experts, the epidemic highlights the challenge of controlling infectious diseases in home nursing environments.

Adenoviruses are ubiquitous viruses that can cause various diseases, ranging from colds and conjunctivitis (pinkeye) to more serious diseases such as bronchitis and pneumonia, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A spokeswoman for the state health department said at least one of the deceased patients was a toddler.

The New Jersey Governor, Phil Murphy (D), said in a statement that he was "sorry to hear that many children lost their lives during an epidemic of adenovirus at Wanaque Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation, and pray for the complete recovery of the other affected children. "

The governor added that he had spoken with the health commissioner, "who badured me that the Ministry of Health had recommended vital measures to strengthen the protection against the spread of the disease. Infection and that he will continue his active surveillance on the spot. I am confident that the measures taken by local and state authorities will reduce the impact on all who remain in the institution, including patients and employees. "

[Virus starts like a cold but can turn into a killer]

The strain responsible for the outbreak in the long-term care facility of New Jersey is the adenovirus 7, known to cause pneumonia and other respiratory diseases.

Officials from the state's health department said Wednesday in a statement that the strain "is badociated with living conditions in community and known to cause serious illness."

The state, with the help of the CDC, investigates the epidemic. Health officials said in a statement that investigators had discovered "minor handwashing deficiencies" in the rest home and the rehabilitation center, which has 135 long-term care beds and 92 treatment beds. pediatrics, according to the Department of Health. The ministry said it was working with the facility on "infection control issues."

Health officials told the center not to admit new patients during the outbreak.

The Wanaque Nursing and Rehabilitation Center could not be contacted immediately for comment. According to the center's website, it offers short- and long-term care, ranging from physical and occupational therapies to palliative care, and has a "medically fragile" pediatric center for children.

Amesh Adalja, a researcher at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security, said that in adulthood, most people in the United States had been afflicted with an adenovirus and had been healed by themselves. In patients with compromised immune systems, viruses can be fatal.

Adalja, an infectious disease doctor, said there is a national problem with nosocomial infections, especially at nursing homes and rehabilitation centers, where, he said, "the control of Infections are not as rigorous "to help prevent epidemics.

"It is not surprising that this ferocious spread has occurred in a retirement home," he said, adding that "retirement homes are one of the weakest links in the chain of custody. infections. "

Adalja said that he did not know how the New Jersey faculty was dealing with the outbreak, but he said the outbreak was considered "particularly serious" given the high number of deaths.

Similar epidemics have occurred in the past.

In 2006 and 2007, adenovirus 14 sickened at least 140 people in four states – New York, Oregon, Texas and Washington. according to CDC. Nine of them are dead, said the CDC.

Adenoviruses are also a problem in military training centers, where men and women are under extreme physical and emotional stress and live nearby. For this reason, said Adalja, a vaccine approved by the Food and Drug Administration for certain strains is administered to the military. But when outbreaks occur, he said, it raises questions about whether vaccines should be made available to the general public.

To prevent transmission, the CDC advises people to avoid close contact with people who may be sick, to wash their hands well and to avoid touching their eyes, nose and eyes. mouth with unwashed hands.

According to the CDC, there is no treatment for adenovirus, but the majority of cases go away on their own.

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