Can a healthcare worker be a source of an infection of a patient – a risk of transmitting the chickenpox and shingles virus VZV by the staff of hospital wards – preliminary research findings.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.20883/jms.2017.128Keywords:
chickenpox, healthcare staff, vaccinationsAbstract
Introduction. Chickenpox is a highly infectious disease, caused by the Varicella-zoster virus. An infection during pregnancy poses particular risk, as it may have serious consequences for both the pregnant woman and the fetus. The only effective and safe method of preventing chickenpox is protective vaccination.Aim. This study aims to assess the risk of contracting the Varicella-zoster infection in a selected population of hospital workers, as well as the further transmission of the virus to newborns, mothers and older children.
Materials and Methods. A survey was conducted in September 2014 in three public hospitals in Poznań, among nurses and midwives working in paediatric, neonatal and maternity wards. 136 nurses and midwives participated in the survey.
Results. The analysis of the findings reveals that 114 staff members of the hospital wards, i.e. 83.82%, have had chickenpox in the past, 14 respondents (10.29%) have never had this illness, and 8 (5.88%) do not know if they have been ill, which means that 16% of the respondents could potentially contract chickenpox. For the majority of nurses and midwives (103) the infection had taken place before they started work. However, 11 respondents (8,08) were infected during employment.
Conclusions. 1) Nearly one out of 4 hospital staff members had no history of chickenpox contraction at the beginning of their employment. 2) Nearly 15% of the workers confirm that at the beginning of employment their immunity status was established on the basis of an interview. 3) The majority of employees negatively interviewed for chickenpox history have not been recommended to be vaccinated against this disease.
Downloads
References
Państwowy Zakład Higieny: Meldunek roczny o zachorowaniach i zatruciach związkami chemicznymi w Polsce w 2012 i 2013 roku. www.pzh.gov.pl (accessed: 19.01.2015).
CDC: Prevantion of Varicella. Recommendation of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. MMWR. 2007;56(RR04):1–40.
Bonnani P, Breuer J, Gershon A, Gershon M, Hryniewicz W, Papavangelou V et al. Varicella vaccination in Europe – Talking the practical approach. BMC Medicine. 2009;7:26.
Liese JG, Grote V, Rosenfeld E, Fischer R, Belohradsky B, Kries R et al. The burden of varicella complications before the introduction of routine varicella vaccination in Germany. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2008;27(2):119–124.
Linder N, Waintraub I, Smetana Z, Barzilai A, Lubin D, Mendelson E et al. Placental transfer and decay of varicella-zoster virus antibodies in preterm infants. J Pediatr. 2000;137:85–89.
Sauerbrei A, Wutzler P. Neonatal varicella. J Perinatol. 2001;21:545–549.
CDC: Immunisation of Health-Care Personnel: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). MMWR. 2011 Nov. 25;60(RR07):1–45.
Urbiztondo L, Bayas JM, Broner S, Costa J, Esteve M, Campins M et al. Varicella-zoster virus immunity among health care workers in Catalonia. Vaccine. 2014 Oct 14;32(45):5945–5948.
Vandersmissen G, Moens G, Vranckx R. Occupational risk of infection by varicella zoster virus in Belgian healthcare workers: a seroprevalence study. Occup Environ Med. 2000 Sep;57(9):621–626.
Kołton R. Ospa wietrzna na oddziale położniczym. mp.pl/szczepienia (accessed 19.01.2015).
Varicella Zoster Virus. Occupational aspects of management. A National Guide. Royal College of Physicians London 2010. https://www.rcplondon.ac.uk (accessed: 19.01.2015).
Statement of the German Standing Committee on Vaccination at the Robert Koch Institute Recommendations of the Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO) at the Robert Koch Institute / Effective. 2013 Aug;26:34.
Healthcare Personnel Vaccination Recommendations. Immunization Action Coalition Saint Paul, Minnesota. http://www.immunize.org (accessed: 19.01.2015).
Varicella. https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/immunisation-against-infectious-disease-the-green-book (accessed: 19.01.2015).
Bilski B. Wybrane problemy profilaktyki i epidemiologii zawodowych chorób zakaźnych w Polsce. Wydawnictwo Naukowe Uniwersytetu Medycznego im. Karola Marcinkowskiego w Poznaniu, Poznań 2013.
Rozporządzenie Ministra Zdrowia i Opieki Społecznej z dnia 30 maja 1996 r. w sprawie przeprowadzania badań lekarskich pracowników, zakresu profilaktycznej opieki zdrowotnej nad pracownikami oraz orzeczeń lekarskich wydawanych do celów przewidzianych w Kodeksie pracy. Journal of Laws No. 69, point 332 of 1996.
IDSA, SHEA, and PIDS Joint Policy Statement on Mandatory Immunization of Health Care Personnel According to the ACIP-Recommended Vaccine Schedule. December 2013.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2017 Joanna Stryczyńska-Kazubska, Ilona Małecka, Maria Biskupska, Bartosz Bilski, Dorota Pietrzycka, Jacek Wysocki
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
How to Cite
Accepted 2017-02-09
Published 2017-03-27