title: Prevalence and Characteristics of Pediatric Healthcare Workers without Immunity to Varicella zoster Virus.
abstract: This study aimed to determine the proportion of varicella non-immune pediatric healthcare workers (HCWs) of the Pediatrics Department of King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital and to determine cost-effective strategies for identifying non-immune personnel. A cross-sectional study using a self-administered questionnaire to determine HCWs' histories of chickenpox or 2-dose varicella vaccination was conducted. From a total of 699 HCWs, 653 HCWs (93%), including 145 physicians (22%), 297 nurses (46%), and 211 administrative staff (32%), responded to questionnaires. There were 475 HCWs (73%) who had a history of chickenpox, 58 (9%) who had completed the 2-dose varicella vaccine schedule, and 120 (18%) whose varicella-zoster virus (VZV) immunity status was uncertain. In total, 107 HCWs (89%) were tested for VZV IgG, 90 of whom had immunity, and 17 were determined to be non-immune. After combining history and VZV IgG test results, the prevalence of non-immune HCWs was 2.6% (95%CI 1.4-3.8), with those ≤40 years of age at higher risk of non-immunity. Implementing a strategy that involves testing of only those with an unknown VZV status and vaccination for only those determined to be non-immune costs 1,801 United States dollar (USD), less than the total cost (4,601 USD) for vaccinating all HCWs with uncertain status.
authors: Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University.
authors: Suvaporn
authors: S
authors: Anugulruengkitt
authors: Thanyawee
authors: T
authors: Puthanakit
authors: Sompis
authors: S
authors: Siengboon
authors: Leilani
authors: L
authors: Paitoonpong
authors: Ekasit
authors: E
authors: Kowitdamrong
authors: Chitsanu
authors: C
authors: Pancharoen
authors: Yuwaree
authors: Y
authors: Pichitchok
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D002644:Chickenpox / Q000276:immunology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G