Notes from the Field: Unexplained Dermatologic, Respiratory, and Ophthalmic Symptoms Among Health Care Personnel at a Hospital – West Virginia, November 2017 – January 2018

Details

• Personal Author:
  Benowitz I ; De Perio, Marie A. ; Grant M ; Holodniy M ; Jackson D ; Kracalik I ; Lucas TJ ; Oda G ; Perkins KM ; Powell KM
• Description:
  During November 8 - December 25, 2017, health care personnel at an 80-bed acute care facility in West Virginia reported dermatologic, respiratory, and ophthalmic symptoms to management or the occupational health clinic, prompting concern about a common exposure, possibly related to construction activities. Symptoms of affected staff members, who performed a range of clinical and nonclinical duties, often improved hours to days after leaving the hospital, suggesting potential exposure to an environmental irritant. Initially, hospital leadership encouraged symptomatic persons to seek evaluation at the occupational health clinic, although systematic evaluations were not implemented. No etiology was identified by environmental sampling for fibers, volatile organic compounds, or mold. In the absence of a clear etiology, hospital leadership stopped inpatient admissions, transferred inpatients from the two wards where most symptomatic staff members worked, and completed cleaning to include associated air-handling systems. Dermatology and allergy consultants evaluated symptomatic staff members, but because of varying clinical manifestations, results were inconclusive. On December 26, one of the closed wards reopened; during the ensuing week, six additional workers reported symptoms, and onsite CDC assistance was requested to identify an etiology. A CDC team arrived on January 8, 2018, and met with hospital and union leadership, reviewed occupational health records, observed occupational health encounters, performed unstructured individual interviews with both affected and unaffected health care personnel, assessed the physical environment, and reviewed environmental testing results. Despite these efforts, investigators were unable to identify an etiology, and the outbreak resolved without intervention. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Environmental Exposure Eye Health Care Facilities Workforce And Services Health Personnel Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Respiratory System Respiratory Tract Diseases Safety Sense Organs Sense Organs / Injuries Skin

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• Keywords:
  Dermatology Employee Exposure Environmental Exposure Etiology Exposure Assessment Eye Irritants Health Care Facilities Health Care Personnel Health Effects Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Services Ophthalmology Respiratory Irritants Respiratory System Disorders

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• Series:
  Weekly Report: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)
• ISSN:
  0149-2195 (print) ; 1545-861X (digital)
• Publisher:
  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (U.S.)
• Document Type:
  Tables
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  District of Columbia ; Georgia ; Ohio ; OSHA Region 3 ; OSHA Region 4 ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DFSE - Division of Field Studies and Engineering
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  68
• Issue:
  44
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20057798
• Citation:
  MMWR 2019 Nov; 68(44):1006-1007
• Email:
  tlucas@cdc.gov
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2020
• NORA Priority Area:
  Services
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:e0e95411420eb686f929f7424b1b0bac3aa9862bdeffd467780d94d3a313de77ebe60fe2e13f4fac29bd6637bafd237598d968727410322121993110591af131
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/183209/cdc_183209_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 138.76 KB ]