Risk Factors for Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Infection among Healthcare Personnel

• Published in: Emerging infectious diseases Vol. 22; no. 11; pp. 1915 - 1920
• Main Authors: Alraddadi, Basem M., Al-Salmi, Hanadi S., Jacobs-Slifka, Kara, Slayton, Rachel B., Estivariz, Concepcion F., Geller, Andrew I., Al-Turkistani, Hanan H., Al-Rehily, Sanaa S., Alserehi, Haleema A., Wali, Ghassan Y., Alshukairi, Abeer N., Azhar, Esam I., Haynes, Lia, Swerdlow, David L., Jernigan, John A., Madani, Tariq A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States U.S. National Center for Infectious Diseases 01.11.2016; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Comparative analysis; Coronavirus Infections - epidemiology; Coronavirus Infections - transmission; Coronavirus Infections - virology; Epidemiology; Female; Health aspects; Health Personnel; healthcare personnel; healthcare workers; Hospital patients; Humans; Male; Medical personnel; Medical research; MERS-CoV; Middle Aged; Middle East respiratory syndrome; Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus; Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus - immunology; personal protective equipment; Risk Factors; Risk Factors for Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Infection among Healthcare Personnel; Saudi Arabia - epidemiology; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Young Adult; Middle East; Saudi Arabia; healthcare personnel; viruses; personal protective equipment; healthcare workers; Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus; zoonoses; MERS-CoV; occupational health; Risk factors; respiratory infections
• ISSN: 1080-6040; 1080-6059
• DOI: 10.3201/eid2211.160920

Healthcare settings can amplify transmission of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), but knowledge gaps about the epidemiology of transmission remain. We conducted a retrospective cohort study among healthcare personnel in hospital units that treated MERS-CoV patients. Participants were interviewed about exposures to MERS-CoV patients, use of personal protective equipment, and signs and symptoms of illness after exposure. Infection status was determined by the presence of antibodies against MERS-CoV. To assess risk factors, we compared infected and uninfected participants. Healthcare personnel caring for MERS-CoV patients were at high risk for infection, but infection most often resulted in a relatively mild illness that might be unrecognized. In the healthcare personnel cohort reported here, infections occurred exclusively among those who had close contact with MERS-CoV patients.