• Natividad Algado-Sellés, Paula Gras-Valentí, Pablo Chico-Sánchez, Juan G Mora-Muriel, Victor M Soler-Molina, María Hernández-Maldonado, Ana-Sofía Lameiras-Azevedo, Natali J Jiménez-Sepúlveda, Isel-Lilibeth Gómez-Sotero, Cesar O Villanueva-Ruiz, Julio Barrenengoa-Sañudo, Marina Fuster-Pérez, Sandra Cánovas-Javega, Patricia Cerezo-Milan, Miranda Monerris-Palmer, Ana Esclapez, Lidia Cartagena-Llopis, Claudia García-Rivera, Iluminada Martínez-Tornero, Verónica Nadal-Morante, Esperanza Merino-Lucas, Juan C Rodriguez-Diaz, Inmaculada Vidal-Catala, Pere Llorens-Soriano, David San Inocencio, Joan Gil-Carbonell, Inés Montiel-Higuero, Pablo Sánchez-Vela, and José Sánchez-Payá.
• Epidemiology Unit, Preventive Medicine Service, Alicante University General Hospital, Alicante, Spain; Alicante Institute for Health and Biomedical Research (ISABIAL), Alicante, Spain.
• Am J Prev Med. 2020 Dec 1; 59 (6): e221-e229.

IntroductionThis study examines the frequency, associated factors, and characteristics of healthcare personnel coronavirus disease 2019 cases in a healthcare department that comprises a tertiary hospital and its associated 12 primary healthcare centers.MethodsThis study included healthcare personnel that showed symptoms or were in contact with a coronavirus disease 2019 case patient from March 2, 2020 to April 19, 2020. Their evolution and characteristics (age, sex, professional category, type of contact) were recorded. Correlations between the different characteristics and risk of developing coronavirus disease 2019 and severe coronavirus disease 2019 were analyzed using chi-square tests. Their magnitudes were quantified with ORs, AORs, and their 95% CIs using a logistic regression model.ResultsOf the 3,900 healthcare professionals in the department, 1,791 (45.9%) showed symptoms or were part of a contact tracing study. The prevalence of those with symptoms was 20.1% (784/3,900; 95% CI=18.8, 21.4), with coronavirus disease 2019 was 4.0% (156/3,900; 95% CI=3.4, 4.6), and with severe coronavirus disease 2019 was 0.5% (18/3,900; 95% CI=0.2, 0.7). The frequency of coronavirus disease 2019 in symptomatic healthcare personnel with a nonprotected exposure was 22.8% (112/491) and 13.7% (40/293) in those with a protected exposure (AOR=2.2, 95% CI=1.2, 3.9). The service in which the healthcare personnel performed their activity was not significantly associated with being diagnosed with coronavirus disease 2019. A total of 26.3% (10/38) of male healthcare personnel with coronavirus disease 2019 required hospitalization, compared with 6.8% (8/118) among female healthcare personnel (OR=4.9, 95% CI=1.8, 13.6).ConclusionsA surveillance and monitoring program centred on healthcare personnel enables an understanding of the risk factors that lead to coronavirus disease 2019 among this population. This knowledge allows the refinement of the strategies for disease control and prevention in healthcare personnel during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.Copyright © 2020 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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