Preventable and non‐preventable risk factors for influenza transmission and hygiene behavior in German influenza households, pandemic season (H1N1) 2009/2010. Issue 3 (16th July 2012)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Remschmidt, Cornelius; Stöcker, Petra; an der Heiden, Matthias; Suess, Thorsten; Luchtenberg, Monika; Schink, Susanne B.; Schweiger, Brunhilde; Haas, Walter; Buchholz, Udo
• Is Part Of: Influenza and other respiratory viruses. Volume 7:Issue 3(2013:May)
• Page Start: 418
• Page End: 425
• Publication Date: 2012-07-16
• Subjects: Influenza -- Periodicals; Respiratory infections -- Periodicals; Virus diseases -- Periodicals; Influenza, Human -- Periodicals; Respiratory Tract Diseases -- Periodicals; Virus Diseases -- Periodicals; Grippe -- Périodiques; Appareil respiratoire -- Infections -- Périodiques; Maladies à virus -- Périodiques; 616.203
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1750-2659.2012.00407.x
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1750-2640

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" xml:lang="en"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p> <bold>Background </bold> To date, little is known about the role of behavioral risk factors for influenza transmission as well as hygiene behavior in the household setting during the influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009. In a household‐based study conducted during 2008/2009, we identified several behavioral risk factors for influenza transmission; 30% of index patients and 30% of household contacts reported increased hand cleaning frequency in the week after symptom onset of the index patient. We conducted another household‐based study during the pandemic season 2009/2010.</p> <p> <bold>Methods </bold> We identified index patients with laboratory confirmed influenza infection and interviewed household members after illness day 8 of the index patient. Outcome was influenza‐like illness (ILI) in a household contact.</p> <p> <bold>Results </bold> We included 108 households. Overall secondary attack rate was 10·1% (27/267) and decreased with increasing age. Apart from being in close daily proximity with the index patient for at least 9 hours, no other behavioral risk factor was associated with secondary ILI. Of all index patients and household contacts, 49% and 55%, respectively, cleaned their hands more often in the week after symptom onset of the index patient (in comparison with 2008/2009 <italic>P</italic>‐value for both <0·01).</p> <p> <bold>Conclusions </bold> While the study was hampered by its relatively limited size, data suggest that a significantly larger proportion of influenza households practiced good hand hygiene compared to the last pre‐pandemic season. This may have led to a different risk factor profile and a delay of the time threshold necessary for transmission among household members with close contact.</p> </abstract>