SARS among Critical Care Nurses, Toronto

Loeb, Mark; McGeer, Allison; Henry, Bonnie; Ofner, Marianna; Rose, David; Hlywka, Tammy; Levie, Joanne; McQueen, Jane; Smith, Stephanie; Moss, Lorraine; Smith, Andrew; Green, Karen; Walter, Stephen D.

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SARS among Critical Care Nurses, Toronto

Supporting Files Public Domain

Feb 2004
By Loeb, Mark ; McGeer, Allison ; Henry, Bonnie ; ...

File Language:

English

Details

Alternative Title:

Emerg Infect Dis
Personal Author:

Loeb, Mark ; McGeer, Allison ; Henry, Bonnie ; Ofner, Marianna ; Rose, David ; Hlywka, Tammy ; Levie, Joanne ; McQueen, Jane ; Smith, Stephanie ; Moss, Lorraine ; Smith, Andrew ; Green, Karen ; Walter, Stephen D.
Description:

To determine factors that predispose or protect healthcare workers from severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), we conducted a retrospective cohort study among 43 nurses who worked in two Toronto critical care units with SARS patients. Eight of 32 nurses who entered a SARS patient's room were infected. The probability of SARS infection was 6% per shift worked. Assisting during intubation, suctioning before intubation, and manipulating the oxygen mask were high-risk activities. Consistently wearing a mask (either surgical or particulate respirator type N95) while caring for a SARS patient was protective for the nurses, and consistent use of the N95 mask was more protective than not wearing a mask. Risk was reduced by consistent use of a surgical mask, but not significantly. Risk was lower with consistent use of a N95 mask than with consistent use of a surgical mask. We conclude that activities related to intubation increase SARS risk and use of a mask (particularly a N95 mask) is protective.
Subjects:

Cohort Studies Critical Care Disease Outbreaks Female Humans Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-To-Professional Male Masks Nurses Occupational Diseases Occupational Exposure Retrospective Studies Risk Factors Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
Source:

Emerg Infect Dis. 10(2):251-255.
Document Type:

Journal Article
Place as Subject:

Ontario, Canada
Location:

North America
Volume:

10
Issue:

2
Collection(s):

Emerging Infectious Diseases
Main Document Checksum:

urn:sha256:ae18f444b6683376536f4b28dbacf54e753fd3f0319313db4b67010ddc4d247f
Download URL:

https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/14514/cdc_14514_DS1.pdf
File Type:

[PDF - 79.55 KB ]

File Language:

English

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