Tilzey A J, Webster M, Banatvala J E
Br Med J (Clin Res Ed). 1985 Nov 30;291(6508):1554-5. doi: 10.1136/bmj.291.6508.1554.
During 1984, 23 patients in whom a diagnosis of viral haemorrhagic fever was considered presented to the accident and emergency department at St Thomas's Hospital. There were no confirmed cases of viral haemorrhagic fever. Nine patients were transferred to Coppett's Wood Hospital, the nearest specially designated high security isolation unit. Malaria was the final diagnosis in 14, and in six this diagnosis was confirmed only after examining repeated smears at Coppett's Wood Hospital. Transferral of patients to such units is time consuming, expensive, and often unnecessary. Specially designated isolation units in district general hospitals and all teaching hospitals would simplify and improve the care not only of patients with a possible viral haemorrhagic fever but also patients with tuberculosis, multiply resistant staphylococcal infections, and viral infections that may be hazardous if transmitted to immunocompromised patients.
1984年期间，23名被怀疑患有病毒性出血热的患者前往圣托马斯医院的急诊科就诊。没有确诊的病毒性出血热病例。9名患者被转至最近的专门指定的高度安全隔离病房——科佩特伍德医院。最终诊断为疟疾的有14例，其中6例是在科佩特伍德医院检查多次涂片后才确诊的。将患者转至此类病房既耗时又昂贵，而且往往没有必要。地区综合医院和所有教学医院的专门指定隔离病房不仅会简化并改善对疑似病毒性出血热患者的护理，还会改善对结核病患者、多重耐药性葡萄球菌感染患者以及如果传染给免疫功能低下患者可能具有危险性的病毒感染患者的护理。
