Nosomial infections due to opportunistic fungi: analysis of a news outbreak in Spanish press

BACKGROUND: TO study an outbreak of media news related to nosocomial infect ions due to opportunistic fungi in Spanish hospitals. METHOD: Case definition: any news related to possible nosocomial infection due to opportunistic fungi in Spanish hospitals, published in national or l ocal daily newspapers, over the pre-epidemic (July-December, 1998) and epid emic periods (January-June, 1999). All news were reviewed and identified us ing global press reports summaries, prepared by two independent sources, an d were analyzed by three different observers. RESULTS: Over the pre-epidemic period there were not any news related to no socomial infections due to opportunistic fungi. Over the epidemic period, a total of 218 news were identified, 154 (71%) published in national newspap ers and 64 (29%) in local ones. We analyzed separately 18 editorials or opi nion articles related to this subject. The epidemic curve (distribution of news by week) showed an incidence news peak at week 5 (102 news, 46.7% of a ll news published). The media mentioned up to 19 different hospitals as ins titutions with possible cases of nosocomial fungal infections. After week 8 , news incidence drop, and remain thereafter at minimum levels. CONCLUSIONS: The example provided by the analysis of this outbreak of media news, related to nosocomial infections by Aspergillus an other opportunist ic fungi, is useful to allow us understand how some medical news arise, dev elop and were transmitted. The public alert situation created in Spain was remarkable, and it is likely that there was a transient loss of confidence in the safety of public health institutions. Today's medicine requieres a g reat and better openness to the media, and a better cooperation between bot h parts.