Abstract
Objectives: To determine the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection among exposed healthcare workers (HCWs) after preventive protocol implementation.
Methods: A total of 5750 HCWs were included in the study. Those in contact with COVID-19 patients were allocated into a high-risk or a low-risk group based on contact type (PPE- or non-PPE-protected); high-risk workers underwent nasopharyngeal swab tests, while among low-risk workers, swab tests were carried out only for symptomatic workers (active surveillance). The prevalence was determined by real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction on nasopharyngeal samples.
Results: 3570 HCWs had contact with 1065 COVID-19 patients. Among them, 3494 were subjected to active surveillance (low-risk group); 2886 (82.60%) were subjected to a swab test; and 15 were positive (0.52%). Seventy-six HCWs (2.13% of exposed) were included in the high-risk group, and a swab test was mandatory for each participant. Overall, 66 (86.84% of high-risk) were negative, and 10 were positive (13.16%), resulting in a higher risk of infection than in the low-risk group [OR = 29.00; 95% CI:12.56-66.94; p < 0.0001].
Conclusion: To date, the SARS-CoV-2 infection prevalence is 0.70% among exposed HCWs and 0.435% among all HCWs working at the examined university hospital. The correct use of PPE and the early identification of symptomatic workers are essential factors to avoiding nosocomial clusters.
Keywords: COVID-19; Healthcare workers; Prevention protocol.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, Healthcare workers, Prevention protocol., 【초록키워드】 protocol, SARS-COV-2 infection, nosocomial, Infection, prevention, healthcare worker, Prevalence, Nasopharyngeal swab, HCWs, symptomatic, implementation, Patient, Clusters, Active surveillance, PPE, Swab, Swab test, COVID-19 patients, Contact, HCW, Factor, higher risk, university hospital, Nasopharyngeal samples, positive, infection prevalence, resulting, examined, carried, was determined, determine, mandatory, the SARS-CoV-2, with COVID-19, 【제목키워드】 hospital, healthcare worker, patients, Observational cohort study, Italian, PROTECT, Protecting,