Clinical Characteristics and Potential Risk Factors Associated with the SARS-CoV-2 Infection: Survey on a Health Care Workers (HCWs) Population in Northern Italy

Viola Novelli, Federico Fassio, Guido Resani, Martino Bussa, Alessandro Durbano, Alessandro Meloni, Giovanni Oliva, Sara Cutti, Daniela Girardi, Anna Odone, Simona Villani, Carlo Marena, Alba Muzzi and Maria Cristina Monti
Additional contact information
Viola Novelli: Medical Direction, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, 27100 Pavia, Italy
Federico Fassio: Unit of Biostatistics and Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
Guido Resani: Medical Direction, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, 27100 Pavia, Italy
Martino Bussa: Unit of Biostatistics and Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
Alessandro Durbano: Medical Direction, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, 27100 Pavia, Italy
Alessandro Meloni: Unit of Hygiene, Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
Giovanni Oliva: Unit of Hygiene, Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
Sara Cutti: Medical Direction, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, 27100 Pavia, Italy
Daniela Girardi: Medical Direction, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, 27100 Pavia, Italy
Anna Odone: Unit of Hygiene, Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
Simona Villani: Unit of Biostatistics and Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
Carlo Marena: Medical Direction, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, 27100 Pavia, Italy
Alba Muzzi: Medical Direction, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, 27100 Pavia, Italy
Maria Cristina Monti: Unit of Biostatistics and Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 13, 1-10

Abstract: During the two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 400 million cases all over the world have been identified. Health care workers were among the first to deal with this virus and consequently a high incidence of infection was reported in this population. The aim of the survey was to investigate health care workers’ (HCWs) clinical characteristics and potential risk factors associated with the SARS-CoV-2 infection in a referral hospital in Northern Italy after the first and second waves of the pandemic. We administered a questionnaire during the flu vaccination campaign that took place at the end of 2020; among 1386 vaccinated HCWs, data was collected and analyzed for 1065 subjects. 182 HCWs (17%) declared that they had tested positive on at least a molecular or a serological test since the beginning of the pandemic. Comparing the infected vs. not infected HCWs, median age, BMI, smoking habit, presence of hypertension or other comorbidities were not significantly different, while having worked in a COVID ward was associated with the infection (OR adj = 1.54, 95% CI: 1.07–2.20). Respondents declared that more than 70% of contacts occurred in the hospital with patients or colleagues, while about 15% in domestic environments. Among the infected, the most reported symptoms were fever (62.1%), asthenia (60.3%), anosmia/ageusia (53.5%), arthralgia/myalgia (48.3%), headache or other neurological symptoms (46.6%), cough (43.1%) and flu-like syndrome (41.4%). The percentage of subjects who have been infected with SARS-CoV-2 seems to be higher in HCWs than in the general population; hence, in hospitals, protective measures and preventive strategies to avoid the spreading of the contagion remain crucial.

Keywords: COVID-19; healthcare workers; survey; SARS-CoV-2 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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