594 - Incidence of Viral Infections in the NICU Lifting Restriction of Sibling Visitation for COVID-19

Publication Number: 594.5315

Haruna Mori, Tokyo Metropolitan Children's Medical Center, Fuchu-shi, Tokyo, Japan; Meiwa Shibata, Tokyo Metropolitan Children's Medical Center, Fuchu, Tokyo, Japan; Kaoru Okazaki, Tokyo Metropolitan Children's Medical Center, Fuchu, Tokyo, Japan; Yuho Horikoshi, Tokyo metropolitan children's medical center, Fuchu, Tokyo, Japan

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, family visitation restrictions were implemented in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Sibling visitation is an important part of family-centered care. Impact of restarting sibling visitation in NICUs are not well-studied.

Objective: Our aim of study is to examine incidence of respiratory viral infections in the NICU before and after lifting sibling visitation.

Design/Methods: A retrospective study was conducted from July 2020 to August 2024 at Tokyo Metropolitan Children's Medical Center. The study period was divided into two phases; the first period, from July 2020 to March 2023 with sibling visitation restrictions to the NICU, and the second period, from April 2023 to August 2024 after lifting the restrictions. Patients suspected of respiratory viral infections by neonatologists underwent respiratory multiplex PCR (FilmArray Respiratory Panel 2.1, BioFire). The incidence of viral infections in the two periods was compared using the t-test. The correlation between sibling visits and the rate of viral infections was analyzed using Spearman's correlation test.

Results: The number of sibling visits to the NICU was 14 in the first period, compared to 48 in the second period. The number of sibling visits per 1000 patient days increased significantly from 0.223 in the first period to 1.47 in the second period (p < 0.05). In contrast, the incidence of respiratory viral infections per 1000 patient days was 0.018 in the first period and 0.115 in the second period (p = 0.3). The viruses detected included parainfluenza virus type 3 (1 case), influenza virus (1 case), coronavirus 2 (1 case), and enterovirus/rhinovirus (3 cases). Notably, none of the NICU patients developed viral infections following sibling visitation. The source of infections was suspected to be hospital staff or adult visitors. Additionally, there was no significant correlation between the frequency of sibling visits and the incidence of viral infections in the NICU (correlation coefficient = 0.152, p = 0.3).

Conclusion(s): Sibling visitation did not contribute to an increased incidence of respiratory viral infections in the NICU after the lifting of COVID-19-related visitation restrictions.