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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, August 1998, p. 2289-2293, Vol. 36, No. 8
Enteric and Respiratory Virus Laboratory,
Received 18 February 1998/Returned for modification 17 April
1998/Accepted 20 May 1998
Two consecutive nosocomial outbreaks of parainfluenza 3, in which 5 of 15 infected patients died, occurred in an adult bone marrow
transplant unit. Parainfluenza 3 strain variation was assessed by
reverse transcription-PCR sequencing of part of the parainfluenza 3 F
gene, including the noncoding region, directly from clinical samples.
Sequence data from the outbreaks were compared with those from 15 other
parainfluenza 3 isolates circulating concurrently in the community;
altogether, 13 strains which fell into three lineages were identified.
Four immunosuppressed patients shed virus persistently for between 1 and 4 months without change in sequence. The first outbreak lasted 4 months and involved three parainfluenza 3 strains, and one persistently
infected patient was implicated as the source of infection for three
others. The second outbreak lasted for 1 month but involved only one
strain. These data indicate that introduction of community
parainfluenza 3 strains to the bone marrow transplant unit was followed
by person-to-person transmission within the unit rather than
reintroduction of virus from the community.
0095-1137/98/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1998, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
Molecular Epidemiology of Two Consecutive Outbreaks
of Parainfluenza 3 in a Bone Marrow Transplant Unit

*
Corresponding author. Mailing address: Enteric and
Respiratory Virus Laboratory, Central Public Health Laboratory, 61 Colindale Ave., London NW9 5HT, United Kingdom. Phone: 44 (0)181 200 4400, ext. 3239. Fax: 44 (0)181 200 1569. E-mail:
mzambon{at}phls.co.uk.
Present address: Department of Surgery, St. George's Hospital,
London SW17, United Kingdom.
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