Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (Feb 2022)

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection among healthcare workers in a tertiary public hospital in Curitiba, Brazil

  • Regiane Nogueira Spalanzani,
  • Gustavo Genelhoud,
  • Sonia Mara Raboni,
  • Sergio Monteiro de Almeida,
  • Luciane Aparecida Pereira,
  • Indianara Rotta,
  • Barbara Maria Cavalli,
  • Francielli Brusco Moreira,
  • Carolina Lumi Tanaka Dino,
  • Gislene Reche de Almeida Takahashi,
  • Regielly Caroline Raimundo Cognialli,
  • Beatriz Sanada Spiri,
  • Lucas Bochnia-Bueno,
  • Jaqueline Carvalho de Oliveira,
  • Douglas Adamoski,
  • Daniela Fiori Gradia,
  • Ana Cláudia Bonatto,
  • Roseli Wassem,
  • Juliana Mazini Alves,
  • Raquel da Silva Padilha,
  • Vitor Jorge Woytuski Brasil,
  • Bernardo Montesanti Machado de Almeida,
  • Meri Bordignon Nogueira

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1590/0037-8682-0265-2021
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 55

Abstract

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ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: We aimed to describe the clinical characteristics of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) among healthcare workers (HCWs) in Curitiba, Brazil. METHODS: Upper respiratory samples from 1077 HCWs were tested for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction from June 16, 2020 to December 9, 2020. RESULTS: Overall, 32.7% of HCWs were infected. The positivity rates in symptomatic and asymptomatic HCWs were 39.2% and 15.9%, respectively. Hospital departments categorized as high-risk for exposure had the highest number of infected HCWs. CONCLUSIONS: Early diagnosis and isolation of infected HCWs remain key in controlling SARS-CoV-2 transmission because HCWs in close contact with COVID-19 patients are more likely to be infected than those who are not.

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