Dataset Information

A cluster of health care workers with COVID-19 pneumonia caused by SARS-CoV-2.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The current outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Wuhan, Hubei, China, spreads across national and international borders.

Methods

We prospectively collected medical records of 14 health care workers (HCWs) who were infected with SARS-CoV-2, in neurosurgery department of Wuhan Union Hospital, China.

Results

Among the 14 HCWs, 12 were conformed cases, the other 2 were suspected cases. Most of them were either exposed to the two index patients or infected coworkers, without knowing they were COVID-19 patients. There were 4 male and 10 female infected HCWs in this cohort, whose mean age was 36 years (SD, 6 years). The main symptoms included myalgia or fatigue (100%), fever (86%) and dry cough (71%). On admission, 79% of infected HCWs showed leucopenia and 43% lymphopenia. Reduced complement C3 could be seen in 57% of the infected HCWs and IL-6 was significantly elevated in 86% of them. The proportion of lymphocytes subsets, concentrations of immunoglobulins, complement C4, IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, TNF-? and IFN-? were within normal range in these 14 infected HCWs. The most frequent findings on pulmonary computed tomographic images were bilateral multifocal ground-glass opacifications (86%).

Conclusions

Human-to-human transmission of COVID-19 pneumonia has occurred among HCWs, and most of these infected HCWs with confirmed COVID-19 are mild cases. Our data suggest that in the epidemic area of COVID-19, stringent and urgent surveillance and infection-control measures should be implemented to protect doctors and nurses from COVID-19 infection.

SUBMITTER: Wei XS

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7185000 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

A cluster of health care workers with COVID-19 pneumonia caused by SARS-CoV-2.

Wei Xiao-Shan XS Wang Xiao-Rong XR Zhang Jian-Chu JC Yang Wei-Bing WB Ma Wan-Li WL Yang Bo-Han BH Jiang Nan-Chuan NC Gao Zhan-Cheng ZC Shi Huan-Zhong HZ Zhou Qiong Q

Journal of microbiology, immunology, and infection = Wei mian yu gan ran za zhi 20200427 1

<h4>Background</h4>The current outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Wuhan, Hubei, China, spreads across national and international borders.<h4>Methods</h4>We prospectively collected medical records of 14 health care workers (HCWs) who were infected with SARS-CoV-2, in neurosurgery department of Wuhan Union Hospital, China.<h4>Results</h4>Among the 14 HCWs, 12 were conformed cases, the other 2 were suspected case ...[more]

PMID: 32359943

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Project description:BackgroundHealth care workers (HCW), particularly immigrants and ethnic minorities are at increased risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Outcomes during a COVID-19 associated hospitalization are not well described among HCW. We aimed to describe the characteristics of HCW admitted with COVID-19 including immigrant status and ethnicity and the associated risk factors for Intensive Care unit (ICU) admission and death.MethodsAdults with laboratory-confirmed community-acquired COVID-19 hospitalized from March 1 to June 30, 2020, at four tertiary-care hospitals in Montréal, Canada were included. Demographics, comorbidities, occupation, immigration status, country of birth, ethnicity, workplace exposures, and hospital outcomes (ICU admission and death) were obtained through a chart review and phone survey. A Fine and Gray competing risk proportional hazards model was used to estimate the risk of ICU admission among HCW stratified by immigrant status and region of birth.ResultsAmong 1104 included persons, 150 (14%) were HCW, with a phone survey participation rate of 68%. HCWs were younger (50 vs 64 years; p<0.001), more likely to be female (61% vs 41%; p<0.001), migrants (68% vs 55%; p<0.01), non-White (65% vs 41%; p<0.001) and healthier (mean Charlson Comorbidity Index of 0.3 vs 1.2; p<0.001) compared to non-HCW. They were as likely to be admitted to the ICU (28% vs 31%; p = 0.40) but were less likely to die (4% vs. 17%; p<0.001). Immigrant HCW accounted for 68% of all HCW cases and, compared to Canadian HCW, were more likely to be personal support workers (PSW) (54% vs. 33%, p<0.01), to be Black (58% vs 4%) and to work in a Residential Care Facility (RCF) (59% vs 33%; p = 0.05). Most HCW believed that they were exposed at work, 55% did not always have access to personal protective equipment (PPE) and 40% did not receive COVID-19-specific Infection Control (IPAC) training.ConclusionImmigrant HCW were particularly exposed to COVID-19 infection in the first wave of the pandemic in Quebec. Despite being young and healthy, one third of all HCW required ICU admission, highlighting the importance of preventing workplace transmission through strong infection prevention and control measures, including high COVID-19 vaccination coverage.

Dataset Information

A cluster of health care workers with COVID-19 pneumonia caused by SARS-CoV-2.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

A cluster of health care workers with COVID-19 pneumonia caused by SARS-CoV-2.

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