SARS Transmission among Hospital Workers in Hong Kong

SARS Transmission among Hospital Workers in Hong Kong

Joseph T. F. Lau, Kitty S. Fung, Tze-wai Wong, Jean H. Kim, Eric Wong, Sydney Chung, Deborah Ho, Louis Y. Chan, S.F. Lui, Augustine Cheng

Despite infection control measures, breakthrough transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) occurred for many hospital workers in Hong Kong. We conducted a case-control study of 72 hospital workers with SARS and 144 matched controls. Inconsistent use of goggles, gowns, gloves, and caps was associated with a higher risk for SARS infection (unadjusted odds ratio 2.42 to 20.54, p < 0.05). The likelihood of SARS infection was strongly associated with the amount of personal protection equipment perceived to be inadequate, having

2004

SARS, hospital worker, nosocomial infections, breakthrough transmission, Hong Kong, research

DOI: 10.3201/eid1002.030534

Emerging Infectious Diseases

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Infectious and parasitic diseases, Medicine

EN