Factors associated with nosocomial SARS-CoV transmission among healthcare workers in Hanoi, Vietnam, 2003

In March of 2003, an outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) occurred in Northern Vietnam. This outbreak began when a traveler arriving from Hong Kong sought medical care at a small hospital (Hospital A) in Hanoi, initiating a serious and substantial transmission event within the hospit...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	BMC public health Vol. 6; no. 1; p. 207
Main Authors:	Reynolds, Mary G, Anh, Bach Huy, Thu, Vu Hoang, Montgomery, Joel M, Bausch, Daniel G, Shah, J Jina, Maloney, Susan, Leitmeyer, Katrin C, Huy, Vu Quang, Horby, Peter, Plant, Aileen Y, Uyeki, Timothy M
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	England BioMed Central Ltd 14-08-2006 BioMed Central BMC
Subjects:	Adult Antibodies, Viral - blood Case-Control Studies Cohort Studies Disease Outbreaks Hong Kong - ethnology Hospital Units Humans Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional - analysis Middle Aged Nursing Staff, Hospital Occupational Exposure - analysis Occupational Exposure - statistics & numerical data Personnel, Hospital Risk Assessment Risk Factors SARS Virus - immunology Seroepidemiologic Studies Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome - epidemiology Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome - transmission Travel Vietnam - epidemiology Hong Kong Vietnam
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Summary:	In March of 2003, an outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) occurred in Northern Vietnam. This outbreak began when a traveler arriving from Hong Kong sought medical care at a small hospital (Hospital A) in Hanoi, initiating a serious and substantial transmission event within the hospital, and subsequent limited spread within the community. We surveyed Hospital A personnel for exposure to the index patient and for symptoms of disease during the outbreak. Additionally, serum specimens were collected and assayed for antibody to SARS-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) antibody and job-specific attack rates were calculated. A nested case-control analysis was performed to assess risk factors for acquiring SARS-CoV infection. One hundred and fifty-three of 193 (79.3%) clinical and non-clinical staff consented to participate. Excluding job categories with < 3 workers, the highest SARS attack rates occurred among nurses who worked in the outpatient and inpatient general wards (57.1, 47.4%, respectively). Nurses assigned to the operating room/intensive care unit, experienced the lowest attack rates (7.1%) among all clinical staff. Serologic evidence of SARS-CoV infection was detected in 4 individuals, including 2 non-clinical workers, who had not previously been identified as SARS cases; none reported having had fever or cough. Entering the index patient's room and having seen (viewed) the patient were the behaviors associated with highest risk for infection by univariate analysis (odds ratios 20.0, 14.0; 95% confidence intervals 4.1-97.1, 3.6-55.3, respectively). This study highlights job categories and activities associated with increased risk for SARS-CoV infection and demonstrates that a broad diversity of hospital workers may be vulnerable during an outbreak. These findings may help guide recommendations for the protection of vulnerable occupational groups and may have implications for other respiratory infections such as influenza.
ISSN:	1471-2458 1471-2458
DOI:	10.1186/1471-2458-6-207