Intensive Care Med. 2006 Apr;32(4):564-9. Epub 2006 Feb 25.
Gomersall CD, Joynt GM, Ho OM, Ip M, Yap F, Derrick JL, Leung P.
Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, The Chinese University of Hong
Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong, China. gomersall@cuhk.edu.hk
OBJECTIVE: To describe the extent and temporal pattern of transmission of severe
acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) to intensive care unit staff. DESIGN:
Retrospective observational cohort study. SETTING: University hospital intensive
care unit, caring solely for patients with SARS or suspected to have SARS.
PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-five doctors and 152 nurses and healthcare assistants who
worked in the ICU during the SARS epidemic. Interventions: Infection control
measures designed to prevent transmission of disease to staff were implemented.
MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Sixty-seven patients with SARS were admitted to the
intensive care unit. Four nurses and one healthcare assistant contracted SARS,
with three of these developing symptoms within 10 days of admission of the first
patient with SARS. Doctors were exposed to patients with SARS for a median (IQR)
of 284 (97-376) h, while nurses and healthcare assistants were exposed for a
median (IQR) of 119 (57-166) h. The ICU did not meet international standards for
physical space or ventilation. CONCLUSIONS: In an ICU in which infection control
procedures are rigorously applied, the risk to staff of contracting SARS from
patients is low, despite long staff exposure times and a sub-standard physical
environment.