Healthcare workers acquired COVID-19 disease from patients? An investigation by phylogenomics

R. C.W. Wong; M. K.P. Lee; G. K.H. Siu; L. K. Lee; J. S.L. Leung; E. C.M. Leung; Y. I.I. Ho; R. W.M. Lai

doi:10.1016/j.jhin.2021.05.017

Healthcare workers acquired COVID-19 disease from patients? An investigation by phylogenomics

R. C.W. Wong, M. K.P. Lee, G. K.H. Siu, L. K. Lee, J. S.L. Leung, E. C.M. Leung, Y. I.I. Ho, R. W.M. Lai

Research output: Journal article publication › Journal article › Academic research › peer-review

8 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The increasing number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in the community has posed a significant epidemic pressure on healthcare settings. When healthcare workers (HCWs) acquire COVID-19, contact tracing and epidemiological investigation might not be adequate for determining the source of transmission. Here, we report a phylogenetic investigation involving two infected HCWs and nine patients to determine whether patient-to-HCW transmission had occurred in a hospital without a previous COVID-19 outbreak. This is the first study to apply phylogenomics to investigate suspected nosocomial transmission in a region with low prevalence of COVID-19. Our results do not support the occurrence of direct patient-to-HCW transmission.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	59-63
Number of pages	5
Journal	Journal of Hospital Infection
Volume	115
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhin.2021.05.017
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 19 Jul 2021

Keywords

COVID-19
Epidemiology
Healthcare workers
Phylogenomics
SARS-CoV-2
Whole-genome sequencing

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Microbiology (medical)
Infectious Diseases

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

More information

10.1016/j.jhin.2021.05.017

Cite this

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title = "Healthcare workers acquired COVID-19 disease from patients? An investigation by phylogenomics",

abstract = "The increasing number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in the community has posed a significant epidemic pressure on healthcare settings. When healthcare workers (HCWs) acquire COVID-19, contact tracing and epidemiological investigation might not be adequate for determining the source of transmission. Here, we report a phylogenetic investigation involving two infected HCWs and nine patients to determine whether patient-to-HCW transmission had occurred in a hospital without a previous COVID-19 outbreak. This is the first study to apply phylogenomics to investigate suspected nosocomial transmission in a region with low prevalence of COVID-19. Our results do not support the occurrence of direct patient-to-HCW transmission.",

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note = "Funding Information: This work was supported by the Health and Medical Research Fund (HMRF) Commissioned Research on COVID-19 (COVID190204) and the Innovation and Technology Fund – Innovation and Technology Support Programme – Public Sector Trial Scheme (SST/050/20GP). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 The Healthcare Infection Society",

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AU - Wong, R. C.W.

AU - Lee, M. K.P.

AU - Siu, G. K.H.

AU - Lee, L. K.

AU - Leung, J. S.L.

AU - Leung, E. C.M.

AU - Ho, Y. I.I.

AU - Lai, R. W.M.

N1 - Funding Information: This work was supported by the Health and Medical Research Fund (HMRF) Commissioned Research on COVID-19 (COVID190204) and the Innovation and Technology Fund – Innovation and Technology Support Programme – Public Sector Trial Scheme (SST/050/20GP). Publisher Copyright: © 2021 The Healthcare Infection Society

PY - 2021/7/19

Y1 - 2021/7/19

N2 - The increasing number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in the community has posed a significant epidemic pressure on healthcare settings. When healthcare workers (HCWs) acquire COVID-19, contact tracing and epidemiological investigation might not be adequate for determining the source of transmission. Here, we report a phylogenetic investigation involving two infected HCWs and nine patients to determine whether patient-to-HCW transmission had occurred in a hospital without a previous COVID-19 outbreak. This is the first study to apply phylogenomics to investigate suspected nosocomial transmission in a region with low prevalence of COVID-19. Our results do not support the occurrence of direct patient-to-HCW transmission.

AB - The increasing number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in the community has posed a significant epidemic pressure on healthcare settings. When healthcare workers (HCWs) acquire COVID-19, contact tracing and epidemiological investigation might not be adequate for determining the source of transmission. Here, we report a phylogenetic investigation involving two infected HCWs and nine patients to determine whether patient-to-HCW transmission had occurred in a hospital without a previous COVID-19 outbreak. This is the first study to apply phylogenomics to investigate suspected nosocomial transmission in a region with low prevalence of COVID-19. Our results do not support the occurrence of direct patient-to-HCW transmission.

KW - COVID-19

KW - Epidemiology

KW - Healthcare workers

KW - Phylogenomics

KW - SARS-CoV-2

KW - Whole-genome sequencing

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SN - 0195-6701

VL - 115

SP - 59

EP - 63

JO - Journal of Hospital Infection

JF - Journal of Hospital Infection

ER -

Healthcare workers acquired COVID-19 disease from patients? An investigation by phylogenomics

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

More information

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