Influenza among afebrile and vaccinated healthcare workers.
BACKGROUND
To prevent transmission of influenza from healthcare workers (HCWs) to patients, many hospitals exclude febrile HCWs from working, but allow afebrile HCWs with respiratory symptoms to have contact with patients. During the 2013-2014 influenza season at our hospital, an influenza-positive HCW with respiratory symptoms but no fever was linked to a case of possible healthcare-associated influenza in a patient. Therefore, we implemented a temporary policy of mandatory influenza testing for HCWs with respiratory symptoms.


METHODS
From 3 January through 28 February 2014, we tested HCWs with respiratory symptoms for influenza and other respiratory pathogens by polymerase chain reaction of flocked nasopharyngeal swabs. HCWs also reported symptoms and influenza vaccination status, and underwent temperature measurement. We calculated the proportion of influenza-positive HCWs with fever and prior influenza vaccination.


RESULTS
Of 449 HCWs, 243 (54%) had a positive test for any respiratory pathogen; 34 (7.6%) HCWs tested positive for influenza. An additional 7 HCWs were diagnosed with influenza by outside physicians. Twenty-one (51.2%) employees with influenza had fever. Among influenza-infected HCWs, 20 had previously received influenza vaccination, 18 had declined the vaccine, and 3 had unknown vaccination status. There was no significant difference in febrile disease among influenza-infected employees who had received the influenza vaccine and those who had not received the vaccine (45% vs 61%; P = .32).


CONCLUSIONS
Nearly half of HCWs with influenza were afebrile prior to their diagnosis. HCWs with respiratory symptoms but no fever may pose a risk of influenza transmission to patients and coworkers.
Department of Medicine.
Jessica P
JP
Ridgway
Department of Pediatrics, University of Chicago.
Allison H
AH
Bartlett
Department of Infection Control Program.
Sylvia
S
Garcia-Houchins
Department of Infection Control Program.
Sean
S
Cariño
Department of Infection Control Program.
Aurea
A
Enriquez
Department of Infection Control Program.
Rachel
R
Marrs
Department of Infection Control Program.
Cynthia
C
Perez
Department of Infection Control Program.
Mona
M
Shah
Department of Occupational Medicine.
Caroline
C
Guenette
Department of Respiratory Therapy, University of Chicago Medicine.
Steve
S
Mosakowski
Department of Pathology, University of Chicago, Illinois.
Kathleen G
KG
Beavis
Department of Medicine.
Emily
E
Landon
D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000821:virology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014780:Viruses / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification
D007252:Influenza Vaccines
healthcare workers; influenza; vaccination