Trends in varicella and mumps vaccination rates in children under 3 years of age in a tertiary children's hospital in Japan.

Background: In Japan, the voluntary vaccination rate is not known accurately. Although two doses of the measles and rubella vaccines have been part of the universal vaccine program since 2006, the varicella vaccine was added in October 2014 while the mumps vaccine still remains voluntary. The aim of this study was to evaluate trends in the live measles, rubella, varicella and mumps vaccination rates in Japan.

A metallo-beta-lactamase producing Enterobacteriaceae outbreak from a contaminated tea dispenser at a children's hospital in Japan.

An outbreak of metallo-β-lactamase (MBL) producing Klebsiella pneumoniae occurred at a children's hospital in Japan. MBL-producing K. pneumoniae was detected in tea dispenser in the hospital, the use of which was associated with the acquisition of the MBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae.

Sibling visits and viral infection in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Background: Sibling visits to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) are a part of family-centered care, which is now being increasingly endorsed as a positive development in patient care. Sibling visits, however, pose a risk of viral infection, and hence many NICU in Japan impose strict limits on the practice. The aim of this study was therefore to assess whether sibling visits to the NICU are related to an increase in the nosocomial viral infection rate.

[Contact investigation using QuantiFERON-TB Gold test to evaluate TB exposure in 61 subjects in a hospital setting--(2) Change in QuantiFERON response during one year after exposure].

Unlabelled: OBJECTIVES & SUBJECTS: The change in IGRA (interferon-gamma release assay, with QuantiFERON-TB Gold, QFT) responses was followed up for one year in a group of contacts of healthcare workers who had been exposed to tuberculosis (TB) infection for a relatively short period in a hospital. The observation was made of a total of 59 close contacts of the index case, where 16 showed positive QFT-conversion and 7 showed the intermediate response ranging 0.1 to 0.

[Contact investigation using QuantiFERON-TB Gold test to evaluate TB exposure in 61 subjects in a hospital setting--(1) Outline of the outbreak and its clinical picture].

The index case was a patient who was admitted to a general hospital and treated with pulsed corticosteroid therapy; her breathing was assisted by a respirator. Soon she developed tuberculosis (TB) and died. Immediately after her death, QuantiFERON-TB Gold (QFT) test was conducted in healthcare workers who were in close contact with the index case.