Association between SARS-CoV-2 and exposure risks in health care workers and university employees – a cross-sectional study
(2021) In Infectious Diseases 53(6). p.460-468- 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... (More) - 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. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/b7796726-bee7-495e-9db7-683623468b7b
- author
- Nygren, David
LU
; Norén, Jonas ; De Marinis, Yang LU ; Holmberg, Anna LU ; Fraenkel, Carl-Johan LU
and Rasmussen, Magnus LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2021
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- in
- Infectious Diseases
- volume
- 53
- issue
- 6
- pages
- 9 pages
- publisher
- Informa Healthcare
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85102265596
- pmid:33689558
- ISSN
- 1651-1980
- DOI
- 10.1080/23744235.2021.1892819
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- b7796726-bee7-495e-9db7-683623468b7b
- date added to LUP
- 2021-03-14 20:14:12
- date last changed
- 2024-10-03 20:37:10
@article{b7796726-bee7-495e-9db7-683623468b7b, abstract = {{Background<br/><br/>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.<br/>Methods<br/><br/>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.<br/>Results<br/><br/>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.<br/>Conclusion<br/><br/>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.}}, author = {{Nygren, David and Norén, Jonas and De Marinis, Yang and Holmberg, Anna and Fraenkel, Carl-Johan and Rasmussen, Magnus}}, issn = {{1651-1980}}, language = {{eng}}, number = {{6}}, pages = {{460--468}}, publisher = {{Informa Healthcare}}, series = {{Infectious Diseases}}, title = {{Association between SARS-CoV-2 and exposure risks in health care workers and university employees – a cross-sectional study}}, url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/23744235.2021.1892819}}, doi = {{10.1080/23744235.2021.1892819}}, volume = {{53}}, year = {{2021}}, }