Lack of SARS Transmission among Healthcare Workers, United States

Details

• Alternative Title:
  Emerg Infect Dis
• Personal Author:
  Park, Benjamin J. ; Peck, Angela J. ; Kuehnert, Matthew J. ; Newbern, Claire ; Smelser, Chad ; Comer, James A. ; Jernigan, Daniel ; McDonald, L. Clifford
• Description:
  In early April 2003, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) was diagnosed in a Pennsylvania resident after his exposure to persons with SARS in Toronto, Canada. To identify contacts of the case-patient and evaluate the risk for SARS transmission, a detailed epidemiologic investigation was performed. On the basis of this investigation, 26 persons (17 healthcare workers, 4 household contacts, and 5 others) were identified as having had close contact with this case-patient before infection-control practices were implemented. Laboratory evaluation of clinical specimens showed no evidence of transmission of SARS-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) infection to any close contact of this patient. This investigation documents that, under certain circumstances, SARS-CoV is not readily transmitted to close contacts, despite ample unprotected exposures. Improving the understanding of risk factors for transmission will help focus public health control measures.
• Subjects:
  Contact Tracing Epidemiologic Factors Humans Male Middle Aged Research Risk Factors Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Time Factors Travel
• Source:
  Emerg Infect Dis. 10(2):217-224.
• Pubmed ID:
  15030686
• Pubmed Central ID:
  PMC3322937
• Document Type:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Ontario, Canada ; Pennsylvania ; United States
• Location:
  North America ; North America
• Volume:
  10
• Issue:
  2
• Collection(s):
  Emerging Infectious Diseases
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:1cca16275bc706e495b8de823530901d41eb60f875cd5f705a58643541ec434b
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/7758/cdc_7758_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 167.40 KB ]