IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v18y2021i16p8748-d617429.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Nasopharyngeal Testing among Healthcare Workers (HCWs) of a Large University Hospital in Milan, Italy during Two Epidemic Waves of COVID-19

Author

Listed:
  • Agnese Comelli

    (Infectious Diseases Unit, Foundation IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy
    These authors equally contributed to this work.)

  • Dario Consonni

    (Epidemiology Unit, Foundation IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy
    These authors equally contributed to this work.)

  • Andrea Lombardi

    (Infectious Diseases Unit, Foundation IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy
    Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy)

  • Giulia Viero

    (Infectious Diseases Unit, Foundation IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy)

  • Massimo Oggioni

    (Clinical Laboratory, Foundation IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy)

  • Patrizia Bono

    (Clinical Laboratory, Foundation IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy)

  • Sara Colonia Uceda Renteria

    (Clinical Laboratory, Foundation IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy)

  • Ferruccio Ceriotti

    (Clinical Laboratory, Foundation IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy)

  • Davide Mangioni

    (Infectious Diseases Unit, Foundation IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy)

  • Antonio Muscatello

    (Infectious Diseases Unit, Foundation IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy)

  • Alessandra Piatti

    (Medical Direction, Foundation IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy)

  • Angela Cecilia Pesatori

    (Epidemiology Unit, Foundation IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy
    Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy)

  • Silvana Castaldi

    (Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
    Quality Unit, Foundation IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy)

  • Luciano Riboldi

    (Occupational Health Unit, Foundation IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy)

  • Alessandra Bandera

    (Infectious Diseases Unit, Foundation IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy
    Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
    Centre for Multidisciplinary Research in Health Science (MACH), University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy)

  • Andrea Gori

    (Infectious Diseases Unit, Foundation IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy
    Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
    Centre for Multidisciplinary Research in Health Science (MACH), University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy)

Abstract

Background: since October 2020, a second SARS-CoV-2 epidemic wave has hit Italy. We investigate the frequency of positive nasopharyngeal swabs among HCWs during the two waves and the association with occupation and demographic characteristics. Methods: this is a retrospective, observational study conducted in a large university hospital in Milan, Northern Italy. We defined two epidemic waves: 1st (February 2020–July 2020) and 2nd (August 2020–January 2021). Occupational and demographic characteristics of HCWs who underwent nasopharyngeal swabs for SARS-CoV-2 were collected. Results: in the 1st wave, 242 positive subjects (7.2%) were found among 3378 HCWs, whereas in the 2nd wave, the positive subjects were 545 out of 4465 (12.2%). In both epidemic waves positive NPSs were more frequent among HCWs with health-related tasks and lower among students ( p < 0.001). However, in the 2nd wave, workers engaged in non-health-related tasks had a peak of 20.7% positivity. Among 160 positive HCWs in the 1st wave who were tested again in the 2nd wave, the rate of reinfection based on SARS-CoV2 RNA cycle quantification value was 0.6%. Conclusions: during the 2nd epidemic wave, we confirmed a significant impact of COVID-19 among HCWs. The rise of infection rate among HCWs seems to reflect the increasing spread of SARS-CoV-2 among the overall population.

Suggested Citation

  • Agnese Comelli & Dario Consonni & Andrea Lombardi & Giulia Viero & Massimo Oggioni & Patrizia Bono & Sara Colonia Uceda Renteria & Ferruccio Ceriotti & Davide Mangioni & Antonio Muscatello & Alessandr, 2021. "Nasopharyngeal Testing among Healthcare Workers (HCWs) of a Large University Hospital in Milan, Italy during Two Epidemic Waves of COVID-19," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-10, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:16:p:8748-:d:617429
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/16/8748/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/16/8748/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Edith Lahner & Emanuele Dilaghi & Claudio Prestigiacomo & Giuliano Alessio & Laura Marcellini & Maurizio Simmaco & Iolanda Santino & Giovanni Battista Orsi & Paolo Anibaldi & Adriano Marcolongo & Brun, 2020. "Prevalence of Sars-Cov-2 Infection in Health Workers (HWs) and Diagnostic Test Performance: The Experience of a Teaching Hospital in Central Italy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-12, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Yueli Mei & Xiuyun Guo & Zhihao Chen & Yingzhi Chen, 2022. "An Effective Mechanism for the Early Detection and Containment of Healthcare Worker Infections in the Setting of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review and Meta-Synthesis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(10), pages 1-20, May.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Stefano Porru & Maria Grazia Lourdes Monaco & Angela Carta & Gianluca Spiteri & Marco Parpaiola & Andrea Battaggia & Giulia Galligioni & Beatrice Ferrazzi & Giuliana Lo Cascio & Davide Gibellini & Ang, 2021. "SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Health Workers: Analysis from Verona SIEROEPID Study during the Pre-Vaccination Era," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(12), pages 1-11, June.
    2. Muhammad Nauman Zahid & Simone Perna, 2021. "Continent-Wide Analysis of COVID 19: Total Cases, Deaths, Tests, Socio-Economic, and Morbidity Factors Associated to the Mortality Rate, and Forecasting Analysis in 2020–2021," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(10), pages 1-10, May.
    3. Maria Piane & Lavinia Bianco & Rita Mancini & Paolo Fornelli & Angela Gabriele & Francesco Medici & Claudia Battista & Stefania Greco & Giuseppe Croce & Laura Franceschetti & Christian Napoli & Mario , 2022. "Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Clinical Pathways for Non-SARS-CoV-2 Related Diseases in the Lazio Region, Italy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(2), pages 1-16, January.
    4. Kenan Rodríguez de Limia Ramírez & Nicolás Ruiz-Robledillo & José Luis Duro-Torrijos & Vicente García-Román & Natalia Albaladejo-Blázquez & Rosario Ferrer-Cascales, 2021. "Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in a Sample of Health Workers in Two Health Departments of the Valencian Community in Spain," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(1), pages 1-13, December.
    5. Marina Di Domenico & Alfredo De Rosa & Francesca Di Gaudio & Pietro Internicola & Cinzia Bettini & Nicola Salzano & Davide Castrianni & Andrea Marotta & Mariarosaria Boccellino, 2021. "Diagnostic Accuracy of a New Antigen Test for SARS-CoV-2 Detection," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(12), pages 1-9, June.
    6. Carlo Capalbo & Enrico Bertamino & Alessandro Zerbetto & Iolanda Santino & Andrea Petrucca & Rita Mancini & Rita Bonfini & Valeria Alfonsi & Stefano Ferracuti & Paolo Marchetti & Maurizio Simmaco & Gi, 2020. "No Evidence of SARS-CoV-2 Circulation in Rome (Italy) during the Pre-Pandemic Period: Results of a Retrospective Surveillance," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(22), pages 1-8, November.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:16:p:8748-:d:617429. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.