Family-acquired Respiratory Disease in High-Risk Infants

Five infants who had been patients in the same Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) were readmitted with respiratory illness. The illness was charac terized by cough, congestion, apnea, and infiltration of the lungs revealed by radiographic examination. Only one infant was febrile. All five patients recovered; however, one infant required prolonged intubation and mechani cally assisted ventilation. Investigation revealed that the illness was associated with prematurity and contact with ill family members. Illness was not associated with exposure to ill personnel in the NICU, low birth weight, or previous lung disease. This outbreak demonstrates the dangers involved in sending premature infants home when respiratory illness is prevalent in the family.