David Nygren1, Jonas Norén1, Yang De Marinis2,3,4,5, Anna Holmberg1,6, Carl-Johan Fraenkel1,6, Magnus Rasmussen1. 1. Division of Infection Medicine, Department for Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Lund, Sweden. 2. Department of Clinical Sciences Malmö, Lund University, Lund, Sweden. 3. School of Control Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, China. 4. Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Division of Life Sciences of Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China. 5. Clinical Research Hospital, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, China. 6. Department of Infection Control, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: In health care workers SARS-CoV-2 has been shown to be an occupational health risk, often associated with transmission between health care workers. Yet, insufficient information on transmission dynamics has been presented to elucidate the precise risk factors for contracting SARS-CoV-2 in this group. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, we investigated association between questionnaire answers on potential exposure situations and SARS-CoV-2-positivity. Health care workers with and without COVID-19-patient contact at nine units at Skåne University Hospitals in Malmö and Lund, Sweden and university employees from Lund University, Sweden were enrolled. To limit impact of health care worker to health care worker transmission, units with known outbreaks were excluded. A SARS-CoV-2-positive case was defined by a previous positive PCR or anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG in the ZetaGene COVID-19 Antibody Test. RESULTS: SARS-CoV-2-positivity was detected in 11/51 (22%) health care workers in COVID-19-units, 10/220 (5%) in non-COVID-19-units and 11/192 (6%) University employees (p = .001, Fischer's exact). In health care workers, SARS-CoV-2-positivity was associated with work in a designated COVID-19-unit (OR 5.7 (95CI 2.1-16)) and caring for COVID-19-patients during the majority of shifts (OR 5.4 (95CI 2.0-15)). In all participants, SARS-CoV-2-positivity was associated with a confirmed COVID-19 case (OR 10 (95CI 2.0-45)) in the household. CONCLUSION: Our study confirmed previous findings of elevated risk of acquiring SARS-CoV-2 in health care workers in COVID-19-units, despite exclusion of units with known outbreaks. Interestingly, health care workers in non-COVID-19-units had similar risk as University employees. Further measures to improve the safety of health care workers might be needed.KEY POINTSPrevious findings of elevated risk of contracting SARS-CoV-2 in health care workers with COVID-19 patient contact was confirmed, despite exclusion of wards with known SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks. Further measures to improve the safety of health care workers might be needed.
BACKGROUND: In health care workers SARS-CoV-2 has been shown to be an occupational health risk, often associated with transmission between health care workers. Yet, insufficient information on transmission dynamics has been presented to elucidate the precise risk factors for contracting SARS-CoV-2 in this group. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, we investigated association between questionnaire answers on potential exposure situations and SARS-CoV-2-positivity. Health care workers with and without COVID-19-patient contact at nine units at Skåne University Hospitals in Malmö and Lund, Sweden and university employees from Lund University, Sweden were enrolled. To limit impact of health care worker to health care worker transmission, units with known outbreaks were excluded. A SARS-CoV-2-positive case was defined by a previous positive PCR or anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG in the ZetaGene COVID-19 Antibody Test. RESULTS:SARS-CoV-2-positivity was detected in 11/51 (22%) health care workers in COVID-19-units, 10/220 (5%) in non-COVID-19-units and 11/192 (6%) University employees (p = .001, Fischer's exact). In health care workers, SARS-CoV-2-positivity was associated with work in a designated COVID-19-unit (OR 5.7 (95CI 2.1-16)) and caring for COVID-19-patients during the majority of shifts (OR 5.4 (95CI 2.0-15)). In all participants, SARS-CoV-2-positivity was associated with a confirmed COVID-19 case (OR 10 (95CI 2.0-45)) in the household. CONCLUSION: Our study confirmed previous findings of elevated risk of acquiring SARS-CoV-2 in health care workers in COVID-19-units, despite exclusion of units with known outbreaks. Interestingly, health care workers in non-COVID-19-units had similar risk as University employees. Further measures to improve the safety of health care workers might be needed.KEY POINTSPrevious findings of elevated risk of contracting SARS-CoV-2 in health care workers with COVID-19patient contact was confirmed, despite exclusion of wards with known SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks. Further measures to improve the safety of health care workers might be needed.
Entities:
Keywords:
COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; aerosol transmission; health care workers; nosocomial transmission; occupational risk
Authors: Cédric Hirzel; Alexia Cusini; Katarzyna Szajek; Felix Fleisch; Sandra Hutter; Martin Risch; Theresa Bechmann; Valerie A Luyckx; Sabine Güsewell; Amico Study Group Journal: Antimicrob Resist Infect Control Date: 2022-01-10 Impact factor: 4.887
Authors: Takaaki Kobayashi; John Heinemann; Alexandra Trannel; Alexandre R Marra; Mohammed Alsuhaibani; William Etienne; Lorinda L Sheeler; Oluchi Abosi; Stephanie Holley; Mary Beth Kukla; Angelique Dains; Kyle E Jenn; Holly Meacham; Beth Hanna; Bradley Ford; Karen Brust; Melanie Wellington; Patrick G Hartley; Daniel J Diekema; Jorge L Salinas Journal: Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Date: 2022-06-02 Impact factor: 6.520