Abstract
Hospital staff are at high risk for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in hospital staff at the University Hospital rechts der Isar in Munich, Germany, and identify modulating factors. Overall seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2-IgG in 4,554 participants was 2.4%. Staff engaged in direct patient care, including those working in COVID-19 units, had a similar probability of being seropositive as non–patient-facing staff. Increased probability of infection was observed in staff reporting interactions with SARS-CoV-2‒infected coworkers or private contacts or exposure to COVID-19 patients without appropriate personal protective equipment. Analysis of spatiotemporal trajectories identified that distinct hotspots for SARS-CoV-2‒positive staff and patients only partially overlap. Patient-facing work in a healthcare facility during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic might be safe as long as adequate personal protective equipment is used and infection prevention practices are followed inside and outside the hospital
Highlights
Hospital staff are at high risk for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic
When we considered all 108 study participants who were positive for SARS-CoV-2 IgG in >2 different assays, we determined a seroprevalence of 2.4%
Despite the high overall number of patients in our hospital who had COVID-19 disease, the seroprevalence of 2.4% for SARS-CoV-2 IgG among university hospital staff after the first wave in Germany is lower than that reported in previous studies [11,12]
Summary
Hospital staff are at high risk for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in hospital staff at the University Hospital rechts der Isar in Munich, Germany, and identify modulating factors. Increased probability of infection was observed in staff reporting interactions with SARS-CoV-2‒infected coworkers or private contacts or exposure to COVID-19 patients without appropriate personal protective equipment. Patient-facing work in a healthcare facility during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic might be safe as long as adequate personal protective equipment is used and infection prevention practices are followed inside and outside the hospital. The purpose of this study was to assess risk factors and evidence for infection, including clinical symptoms, and to determine the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies
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