COVID-19: Hotspot hospital?- seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in hospital employees in a secondary care hospital network in Germany: Intermediate results of a prospective surveillance study.
Int J Hyg Environ Health
; 235: 113771, 2021 06.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1240386
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE:
The objective of the ongoing study was to investigate how SARS-CoV-2 infection spread within two hospitals in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany by testing the employees working in high-risk, intermediate-risk and low-risk-areas for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies. Presented intermediate results evaluate the first infection period until the end of September 2020.METHODS:
The study "COVID-19 Hotspot hospital?- Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in hospital employees in a secondary care hospital network in Germany " is a prospective, single centre observational cohort study conducted at the St. Vincenz Hospital Datteln with 316 beds. The presented data include one other hospital St. Laurentius Stift Waltrop, Germany with 172 beds.RESULTS:
Between June 2020 and September 2020 we analyzed serum samples of 907 employees which represents 62.1% of all employees. Thirteen employees (1.4%), respectively 13/696 healthcare workers (HCWs) (1.9%) had detectable SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies. Among them, 4 (30.8%) were aware of COVID-19 exposure, and 5 (38.5%) reported clinical symptoms. HCWs working in high-risk areas had a seroprevalence rate of 1.6% (1/64), HCWs working in intermediate-risk area 1.7% (11/632) and 0.5% employees (1/211) in low-risk areas with no contact to patients were seropositive.CONCLUSION:
Even if we treated COVID-19 positive patients, we found no clear evidence that infection was transmitted to HCWs in contact to these patients. As knowledge about SARS-CoV-2 transmission evolves, the concept of infection prevention must be continuously reviewed and adapted as needed to keep hospitals a safe place.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Health Personnel
/
Secondary Care Centers
/
SARS-CoV-2
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Cohort study
/
Diagnostic study
/
Experimental Studies
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
Limits:
Adolescent
/
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Young adult
Country/Region as subject:
Europa
Language:
English
Journal:
Int J Hyg Environ Health
Journal subject:
Environmental Health
/
Public Health
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
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