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Respiratory Illness in Conference Participants Following Exposure to Rug Shampoo

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Patrick A. Robinson ,
Robert V. Tauxe ,
William G. Winkler  and
Martin E. Levy
Patrick A. Robinson*
Affiliation:
Infectious Disease Section, Department of Internal Medicine, West Virginia University, Charleston, West Virginia
Robert V. Tauxe
Affiliation:
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
William G. Winkler
Affiliation:
Viral and Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Viral Diseases Division, Center for Infectious Diseases, U.S. Public Health Service, Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, Georgia
Martin E. Levy
Affiliation:
Preventive Health Services Administration, Government of District of Columbia, Department of Human Services, Commission of Public Health, Washington, D.C.
*
Infectious Disease Section, Department of Internal Medicine, West Virginia University, Charleston, WV 25304
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Abstract

Persons participating in a conference in a major city motel experienced transient mild respiratory illness associated with their presence in the motel conference rooms. The illness was characterized by coughing, sneezing, sore throat, headache, eye irritation, and other symptoms of exposure to a respiratory irritant. Investigation incriminated a chemical shampoo used to clean the conference room rugs approximately one week earlier. Repeated cleaning of the rugs to remove excess cleaning compound eliminated the problem. Excessive application of the shampoo, coupled with a poorly ventilated environment, apparently produced a chemical concentration sufficient to cause clinical illness.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 4 , Issue 3 , May/June 1983 , pp. 158 - 163
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 1983

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