CONTROL STRATEGY FOR NOSOCOMIAL RESPIRATORY VIRUS INFECTION BASED ON COLONIZATION OF HEALTHCARE WORKERS

Abstract

Many respiratory viruses are easily spread by human-to-human transmission, and healthcare workers (HCWs) are likely to be sources of infection. The study verified colonization rates of respiratory viruses (including H1N1) in HCWs and evaluated the necessity of nasopharyngeal swab screening in HCWs for detection of subclinical infections. First-line and non-first-line HCWs were monitored in May and August 2010 for respiratory virus colonization, obtaining 147 nasal secretion samples for RT-multiplex-PCR to identify seven respiratory viruses and RT-PCR for pandemic H1N1 2009. All participants were asked to complete questionnaire on demographics and previous clinical symptoms. Positive results for respiratory viruses were more frequent (13.3%) in first-line than in non-first-line (3.5%) HCWs in May than in August. In addition, first-line HCWs presented more frequently with respiratory virus infection-related symptoms than non-first-line HCWs. Nasopharyngeal swab screening by RT-PCR in conjunction with observations of associated symptoms in first-line HCWs could provide effective early detection and prevention of nosocomial spread of respiratory viruses.