Outbreak of Pneumonia in the Setting of Fatal Pneumococcal Meningitis among US Army Trainees: Potential Role of Chlamydia pneumoniae Infection

Details

• Alternative Title:
  BMC Infect Dis
• Personal Author:
  Dawood, Fatimah S ; Ambrose, John F ; Russell, Bruce P ; Hawksworth, Anthony W ; Winchell, Jonas M ; Glass, Nina ; Thurman, Kathleen ; Soltis, Michele A ; McDonough, Erin ; Warner, Agnes K ; Weston, Emily ; Clemmons, Nakia S ; Rosen, Jennifer ; Mitchell, Stephanie L ; Faix, Dennis J ; Blair, Patrick J ; Moore, Matthew R ; Lowery, John
• Description:
  Background
  
  Compared to the civilian population, military trainees are often at increased risk for respiratory infections. We investigated an outbreak of radiologically-confirmed pneumonia that was recognized after 2 fatal cases of serotype 7F pneumococcal meningitis were reported in a 303-person military trainee company (Alpha Company).
  
  Methods
  
  We reviewed surveillance data on pneumonia and febrile respiratory illness at the training facility; conducted chart reviews for cases of radiologically-confirmed pneumonia; and administered surveys and collected nasopharyngeal swabs from trainees in the outbreak battalion (Alpha and Hotel Companies), associated training staff, and trainees newly joining the battalion.
  
  Results
  
  Among Alpha and Hotel Company trainees, the average weekly attack rates of radiologically-confirmed pneumonia were 1.4% and 1.2% (most other companies at FLW: 0-0.4%). The pneumococcal carriage rate among all Alpha Company trainees was 15% with a predominance of serotypes 7F and 3. Chlamydia pneumoniae was identified from 31% of specimens collected from Alpha Company trainees with respiratory symptoms.
  
  Conclusion
  
  Although the etiology of the outbreak remains unclear, the identification of both S. pneumoniae and C. pneumoniae among trainees suggests that both pathogens may have contributed either independently or as cofactors to the observed increased incidence of pneumonia in the outbreak battalion and should be considered as possible etiologies in outbreaks of pneumonia in the military population.
  
  
• Subjects:
  Adolescent Adult Chlamydia Infections Chlamydophila Pneumoniae Cross-Sectional Studies Disease Outbreaks Female Humans Male Meningitis, Pneumococcal Middle Aged Pneumonia, Bacterial Streptococcus Pneumoniae Young Adult

  More +
• Source:
  BMC Infect Dis. 2011; 11:157.
• Document Type:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  United States
• Volume:
  11
• Collection(s):
  CDC Public Access
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:2ca9920d82b2db7b74270f5d1007c3bf83a2d86075b688342e6915c0a34ea900
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/3389/cdc_3389_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 396.23 KB ]