Assessment of SARS-CoV-2 Infection among Healthcare Workers of a German COVID-19 Treatment Center.

Lionel Larribère,Uwe M Martens,Wendelin Schramm,Dilyana Vladimirova,Maria Martin,Maximilian Kurscheidt,Monika Pobiruchin,Lisa Kuhnhenn,Tatjana Eigenbrod,Markus Roser,Jelizaveta Gordejeva

doi:10.3390/ijerph18137057

Abstract

To date, more than 160 million people have been infected with COVID-19 worldwide. In the present study, we investigated the history of SARS-CoV-2 infection among 3067 healthcare workers (HCW) in a German COVID-19 treatment center during the early phase of the pandemic (July 2020) based on the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and self-reported previous PCR results. The results demonstrate a low prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection (n = 107 [3.5%]) with no increased risk for employees with a high level of patient exposure in general or working in COVID-19-confined areas in particular. This suggests that the local hygiene standards implemented in our hospital during the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic were effective in preventing patient-to-HCW transmission. No evidence for highly mobile staff serving as a vector for SARS-CoV-2 transmission could be found. In addition, impairment of smell and/or taste was strongly associated with SARS-CoV-2 history.

Highlights

As of mid-May 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed a total of more than 160 million cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and more than 3 million related deaths around the world [1]
In July 2020, when the first COVID-19 wave had eased and automated serological immunoassays became available, we investigated the cumulative incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection among employees according to their different functions and departments based on the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and self-reported previous PCR results
SARS-CoV-2 history was defined by seropositivity and/or by a self-reported previous positive PCR

Summary

Introduction

As of mid-May 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed a total of more than 160 million cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and more than 3 million related deaths around the world [1]. Apart from causing considerable acute disease burden and mortality, the COVID-19 pandemic has significant psychological consequences, causing anxiety, depression, sleeping disorders or physical symptoms including headaches, temporomandibular disorders or back pain [3,4,5]. In this context, healthcare systems and especially public and private hospitals play a particular role: healthcare workers (HCW) are at the frontline, in daily contact with COVID19 patients and are potentially at a higher risk than the global population [6,7,8]. Due to a shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) during the early phase

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