Turkiye Klinikleri Journal of Medical Sciences

.: ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Transmission and Clinical Characteristic of COVID-19 in Healthcare Workers: Cross-sectional Study
Sağlık Çalışanlarında COVID-19 Bulaşı ve Klinik Özellikleri: Kesitsel Çalışma
Mehtap AYDINa, Ayşe Serra ÖZELa, Lütfiye Nilsun ALTUNALa
aDepartment of Infectious Disease and Clinical Microbiology, University of Health Science, İstanbul, TURKEY
Turkiye Klinikleri J Med Sci. 2021;41(3):219-24
doi: 10.5336/medsci.2020-79883
Article Language: EN
Full Text
ABSTRACT
 Objective: Frontline healthcare workers (HCW) exposed to coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) patients at their work environment are at a higher risk of acquiring the disease. The aim of this study was to research the COVID-19 risks due to the occupational exposure of HCW and the clinical characteristics of the affected. Material and Methods: In this retrospective study, HCW, employed by The Ümraniye Research and Training Hospital, who were diagnosed with COVID-19 between 20th March 2020 to 20th May 2020 were analysed. Results: A total of 128 (3.8%) HCW were diagnosed with COVID-19. Most of the infected HCW were medical staff (34%), nurses (24%), physicians (22%) and staff with no patient contact (20%). Fifty-six percent of the infected HCW were working in COVID-19 wards and outpatient clinics. Twenty-nine percent acquired the infection in hospital from an index patient and 32% of them from an infected HCW. The highest transmission was during the sharing of the same environment (53%) like offices. Thirteen per cent of the HCW took the virus during examination or treatment, 31% of the individuals were unaware of the transmission. The number of the infected HCW was higher during the beginning of the outbreak in Turkey. The symptomatic cases were more (88%) than the asymptomatic cases (12%). A total of 28 (22%) HCW were hospitalised and only 4% of the cases were severe. Conclusion: The asymptomatic COVID-19 carrying HCW are to be considered as the source of the spread of the disease among their colleagues. Stricter measures should be implemented to prevent in-hospital transmission.

Keywords: Healthcare workers; coronavirus; transmission
ÖZET
 Amaç: Sağlık çalışanlarının koronavirüs hastalığı-2019'a [coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19)] yakalanma riskleri, hastalara ön safhada maruz kaldıklarından dolayı fazladır. Bu çalışmada, sağlık çalışanlarının mesleki maruziyetine bağlı COVID-19 risklerini ve etkilenenlerin klinik özelliklerini araştırmak amaçlanmıştır. Gereç ve Yöntemler: Bu retrospektif çalışmada, 20 Mart-20 Mayıs 2020 tarihleri arasında Ümraniye Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi'nde çalışan COVID-19 teşhisi konulan sağlık sektörü çalışanları analiz edilmiştir. Bulgular: Toplam 128 (3,8%) sağlık çalışanı COVID-19 tanısı almıştır. Enfekte olan sağlık çalışanlarının %34'ü sağlık personeli, %24'ü hemşire, %22'si doktor ve %20'si hasta teması olmayan personeldi. Enfekte sağlık çalışanlarının %56'sı COVID-19 servis ve ayaktan tedavi kliniklerinde çalışıyordu. Sağlık çalışanlarının %29'u hastanede enfeksiyonu bir indeks hastadan ve %32'si enfekte bir sağlık çalışanından almıştır. En yüksek bulaşma, ofisler gibi aynı ortamın paylaşılması sırasında gerçekleşti (%53). Sağlık çalışanlarının %13'ü virüsü muayene veya tedavi sırasında alırken, %31'i bulaşmanın farkında değildi. Semptomatik vakalar (%88) asemptomatik vakalardan (%12) daha fazlaydı. Toplam 28 (%22) sağlık çalışanı hastaneye yatırılarak tedavi edildi, vakaların sadece %4'ü ağırdı. Sonuç: Asemptomatik COVID-19 taşıyıcısı olan sağlık çalışanlarının, hastalığın kaynağı olarak meslektaşları arasında yayılmasında sorumlu olduğu kanısına varılmıştır. COVID-19'un hastane içi bulaşını önlemek için daha sıkı önlemler alınmalıdır.

Anahtar Kelimeler: Sağlık çalışanı; koronavirüs; bulaş
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