[Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in Employees of a General Hospital In Northrhine-Westphalia, Germany]

Overview

Journal Dtsch Med Wochenschr

Date 2021 Jan 29

PMID 33513626

Citations 7

Authors

Martin Platten

Rita Cranen

Claudia Peters

Hilmar Wisplinghoff

Albert Nienhaus

Alexander Daniel Bach

Guido Michels

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: We assessed the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in the staff of a general hospital in North-Rhine-Westphalia in a cross-sectional study.

Method: Employees (n = 1363) were offered a nasopharyngeal swab and serology for SARS-CoV-2. Additionally, employees completed a questionnaire about preexisting conditions, contacts with SARS-CoV-2-positive individuals and COVID-19-specific symptoms.

Results: 1212 employees participated. 19 of 1363 (1.4 %) employees tested positive by PCR (3 within and 16 before the study). 40 (3.3 %) and 105 (8.6 %) had IgG and IgA, respectively, 32 (2.6 %) both IgG and IgA. Overall, 47 employees tested positive. In this group, most frequently reported symptoms were headache (56 %), fatigue (49 %), sore throat (49 %), and cough (46 %); fever was reported by 33 %. SARS-CoV-2-positive employees reported more frequently contact with COVID-19 cases (60.5 % vs. 37.3 %, p = 0.006). Employees testing positive only for IgA reported less symptoms.

Conclusion: Between 27.04. and 20.05.2020, 3.9 % of the employees working in a general hospital were tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. This proportion was lower than expected; possible explanations are the low level of endemic infection and the extensive, uniform in-house preventative measures.

Citing Articles

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Infection control strategies for healthcare workers during COVID-19 pandemic in German hospitals: A cross-sectional study in march-april 2021.

Mardiko A, Bludau A, Heinemann S, Kaba H, Fenz D, Leha A Heliyon. 2023; 9(3):e14658.

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COVID-19 infections in staff of an emergency care hospital after the first wave of the pandemic in Germany.

Stuven P, Muhlenbruch G, Evenschor-Ascheid A, Conzen E, Peters C, Schablon A GMS Hyg Infect Control. 2022; 17:Doc04.

PMID: 35284207 PMC: 8899717. DOI: 10.3205/dgkh000407.

Cumulative Incidence of SARS-CoV-2 in Healthcare Workers at a General Hospital in Germany during the Pandemic-A Longitudinal Analysis.

Platten M, Nienhaus A, Peters C, Cranen R, Wisplinghoff H, Kersten J Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022; 19(4).

PMID: 35206616 PMC: 8872027. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19042429.

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