title: [An investigation on nosocomial infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome in health-care workers at 13 key hospitals in Guangdong Province].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analysis the risk factors influencing nosocomial infection of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in health-care workers and to evaluate effectiveness of its control and preventive measures in 13 key hospitals caring for SARS patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Number of SARS patients, clinical conditions of them, its attack rate in health-care workers, and characteristics of hospitals, including their environment, isolating measures, etc. were investigated at the 13 hospital in Guangzhou to analyze the risk factors influencing nosocomial infection of SARS and its attack rates in health-care workers before and after implementation of preventive measures and to evaluate their effectiveness.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Totally, 841 patients with SARS were treated at the 13 hospitals in Guangzhou and 285 health-care workers caring for them infected nosocomially. Attack rate in health-care workers was higher at general hospitals, hospital accepting more cases in critical conditions and hospitals with poor precautious measures, and lower in hospitals with isolated wards or areas, or department of infection, specially caring for SARS patients, and those with effective intervention measures to prevent secondary infection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nosocomial infection of SARS in health-care workers was affected by clinical condition of SARS patients, characteristics and environment of hospitals and their personal protective measures adopted.
authors.affiliation: Center for Disease Control and Prevention of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou 510300, China.
authors.forename: Qin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.forename: Wei-sheng
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Wen-wu
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: Xian-chang
authors.initials: XC
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Li-dong
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Wen-jia
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Ling-hui
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Duan-hua
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Bu-fan
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Wen-long
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Hai
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Jin-yan
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D016358:Contact Tracing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003428:Cross Infection; D006761:Hospitals / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010564:Personnel, Hospital; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology*