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

• DOI: 10.3201/eid2211.160920
• Publication Date: 2016-10-11T15:51:10Z
• Authors: Basem M. Alraddadi; Hanadi S. Al-Salmi; Kara Jacobs-Slifka; Rachel B. Slayton; Concepcion F. Est...; Andrew I. Geller; Hanan H. Al-Turki...; Sanaa S. Al-Rehily; Haleema A. Alserehi; Ghassan Y. Wali; Abeer N. Alshukairi; Esam I. Azhar; Lia Haynes; David L. Swerdlow; John A. Jernigan; Tariq A. Madani
• Keywords: Adult; Male; Adolescent; Health Personnel; Saudi Arabia; Infectious and parasitic diseases; RC109-216; MERS-CoV; Young Adult; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; Risk Factors; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Humans; Aged; healthcare workers; Research; R; Middle Aged; 3. Good health; Risk factors; personal protective equipment; Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus; Medicine; Female; Coronavirus Infections; Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus; healthcare personnel

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.