An Outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome among Hospital Workers in a Community Hospital in Hong Kong

7 October 2003 | Volume 139 Issue 7 | Pages 564-567

Background: During outbreaks, hospital workers are at high risk for nosocomial infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-associated coronavirus.

Objective: To examine how hospital workers became infected and whether they transmit the virus to their families.

Design: Retrospective descriptive study.

Setting: 529-bed community hospital in Hong Kong.

Patients: 40 hospital workers infected with SARS-associated coronavirus over a 6-week period (25 March through 5 May 2003).

Measurements: Percentage of infected hospital workers according to job category.

Results: The cumulative incidence was highest among health care assistants, followed by physicians and nurses (8%, 5%, and 4%, respectively). Most hospital workers were infected from direct contact with patients with SARS, who primarily were in general wards and had unsuspected infection. At the time of contact, all hospital workers had used masks but not necessarily other protective devices. Affected hospital workers did not infect their families.

Conclusion: Before isolation of all patients with clinically confirmed or suspected SARS, routine use of several protective devices, and training of staff in infection control, many health care workers were infected with SARS from patients with unsuspected cases.

Editors' Notes Context During outbreaks, health care workers may be at high risk for contracting severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Contribution This retrospective study from a community hospital in Hong Kong describes 40 health care workers who contracted SARS from infected patients or coworkers. During early weeks of the outbreak, about 8% of the health care assistants, 5% of the doctors, and 4% of the nurses developed SARS. All reportedly had used surgical masks. Implications Simply wearing surgical masks doesn't protect health care workers from SARS. More elaborate measures are needed. –The Editors

 

Author and Article Information

From Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, and The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.

Acknowledgments: The authors thank the staff of Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital for their dedication and devotion in looking after patients with SARS during the epidemic.

Potential Financial Conflicts of Interest: None disclosed.

Requests for Single Reprints:Moira Chan-Yeung, MB, FRCP, FRCPC, University Department of Medicine, 4/F Professorial Block, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong; e-mail, mmwchan{at}hkucc.hku.hk.

Current Author Addresses: Dr. Ho: Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital, Tai Po, Hong Kong, SAR, China.

Dr. Sung: Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Prince of Wales Hospital, 32 Ngan Shing Street, Shatin, Hong Kong, SAR, China.

Dr. Chan-Yeung: University Department of Medicine, Queen Mary Hospital, 4/E Professorial Block, Hong Kong, SAR, China.

Author Contributions: Conception and design: A.S. Ho, M. Chan-Yeung.

Analysis and interpretation of the data: A.S. Ho, J.J.Y. Sung, M. Chan-Yeung.

Drafting of the article: A.S. Ho, M. Chan-Yeung.

Critical revision of the article for important intellectual content: M. Chan-Yeung.

Final approval of the article: M. Chan-Yeung.

Provision of study materials or patients: J.J.Y. Sung.

Administrative, technical, or logistic support: J.J.Y. Sung.

Collection and assembly of data: A.S. Ho, J.J.Y. Sung, M. Chan-Yeung.