Author/Editor | Stupica, D; Lusa, L; Petrovec, M; Žigon, N; Jevšnik, M; Bogovič, P; Strle, F | |
Title | Respiratory viruses in patients and employees in an intensive care unit | |
Type | članek | |
Source | Infection | |
Vol. and No. | Letnik 40, št. 4 | |
Publication year | 2012 | |
Volume | str. 381-8 | |
Language | eng | |
Abstract | Purpose: To evaluate the frequency of respiratory viruses in a nonselected population of intensive care unit patients and employees and to investigate the clinical as well as the epidemiological association with virological findings. Methods: Between 12 January and 5 March 2009, nasopharyngeal swabs were collected from 55 intensive care unit (ICU) patients and 41 medical personnel at 16 different time-points and tested for 11 respiratory viruses by single real-time PCR using TaqMan or MGB probes. Results: Among the 55 ICU patients tested, there were 30 virus-positive respiratory specimens (30/173, 17.3%) and 23 patients who tested positive at least once for respiratory viruses (23/55, 41.8%). Only the time from admission to the ICU was associated with the probability of testing positive, with the probability of testing positive decreasing with increasing length of stay (P < 0.001). Of the 418 respiratory specimens collected from the healthcare personnel, 27 (6.5%) tested positive. Seventeen employees tested positive at least once for respiratory viruses (17/41, 41.5%). Among the employees, calendar time (P = 0.03) and having sick contacts at home (P = 0.006) were significantly associated with swab positivity. Among the study population, patients had a significantly higher probability of having a positive swab result than employees. The distribution of viruses differed between the two groups. Conclusion: Our results suggest that when hygiene precautions are adopted, the possibility of transmitting selected respiratory viruses between patients and personnel is limited. They also point to a greater importance of the community over the hospital environment for acquisition of viral respiratory infections by ICU patients and employees. | |
Descriptors | INTENSIVE CARE UNITS RESPIRATORY TRACT INFECTIONS VIRUSES NASOPHARYNGEAL DISEASES PERSONNEL, HOSPITAL POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION |