title: An outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome among hospital workers in a community hospital in Hong Kong.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  During outbreaks, hospital workers are at high risk for nosocomial infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-associated coronavirus.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine how hospital workers became infected and whether they transmit the virus to their families.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective descriptive study.
  
  
  METHODS
  529-bed community hospital in Hong Kong.
  
  
  METHODS
  40 hospital workers infected with SARS-associated coronavirus over a 6-week period (25 March through 5 May 2003).
  
  
  METHODS
  Percentage of infected hospital workers according to job category.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The cumulative incidence was highest among health care assistants, followed by physicians and nurses (8%, 5%, and 4%, respectively). Most hospital workers were infected from direct contact with patients with SARS, who primarily were in general wards and had unsuspected infection. At the time of contact, all hospital workers had used masks but not necessarily other protective devices. Affected hospital workers did not infect their families.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Before isolation of all patients with clinically confirmed or suspected SARS, routine use of several protective devices, and training of staff in infection control, many health care workers were infected with SARS from patients with unsuspected cases.
authors.affiliation: Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, and The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Alice S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: Joseph J Y
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.forename: Moira
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chan-Yeung
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods; D017758:Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010564:Personnel, Hospital; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission