Low prevalence of subclinical severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus infection among hospital healthcare workers in Hong Kong.
We recruited 688 hospital healthcare workers who cared for patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and did not develop the disease in the Hong Kong outbreak in 2003. A questionnaire survey was conducted and serum samples were collected for SARS-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) antibody. The high-risk procedures performed and the types of unprotected exposures were recorded for analysis. Only 1 asymptomatic nurse had positive serological test. The result demonstrates the low rate of subclinical SARS-CoV infection in hospital healthcare workers and that the infection control practice against SARS in Hong Kong's hospitals during the outbreak was highly effective.
Lai
Thomas Sik To
TS
Department of Medicine, Princess Margaret Hospital, Lai Chi Kok, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China. laist@ha.org.hk
Keung Ng
Tak
T
Seto
Wing Hong
WH
Yam
Loretta
L
Law
Kin Ip
KI
Chan
Jane
J
D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D006282:Health Personnel; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D017758:Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission*
D000914:Antibodies, Viral