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

9 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

UN SDGs

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

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

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

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Microbiology (medical)
Infectious Diseases

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",

year = "2021",

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doi = "10.1016/j.jhin.2021.05.017",

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T1 - Healthcare workers acquired COVID-19 disease from patients? An investigation by phylogenomics

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

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85110412239

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DO - 10.1016/j.jhin.2021.05.017

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 34098050

AN - SCOPUS:85110412239

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

UN SDGs

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

More information

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