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Volume 10, Number 2—February 2004
THEME ISSUE
2004 SARS Edition
Infection Control

SARS Transmission among Hospital Workers in Hong Kong

Joseph T.F. Lau*Comments to Author , Kitty S. Fung*, Tze Wai Wong*, Jean H. Kim*, Eric Wong*, Sydney Chung*, Deborah Ho*, Louis Y. Chan*, S.F. Lui†, and Augustine Cheng*
Author affiliations: *Chinese University of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region, People’s Republic of China (SAR); †Hospital Authority, Government of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR

Main Article

Table 1

Percentage of healthcare workers exposed to the risk of inconsistent use of different types of personal protection equipment in 3 clinical settings with SARS patientsa

Type of personal protection equipment Control (n = 143) % Case
(n = 72) % Matched OR
(exact 95% CI) p value
(exact)
N95 or Surgical maskb
Direct contact with SARS patient
 0
 0
 1
 1.4
 2.00 (0.05 to ∞)
 0.6667
Direct contact with patients in general c
 1
 0.7
 2
 2.8
 4.00 (0.21to 235.99)
 0.5185
No patient contactd
 3
 2.2
 4
 5.7
 2.43 (0.41 to 16.77)
 0.4198
N95b
Direct contact with SARS patients
 6
 4.2
 7
 9.7
 2.86 (0.70 to 13.71)
 0.1683
Direct contact with patients in generalc
 5
 3.6
 3
 4.2
 1.28 (0.16 to 10.47)
 1.0000
No patient contactd
 14
 10.2
 12
 17.1
 1.83 (0.72 to 4.71)
 0.2315
Gogglesb
Direct contact with SARS patients
 12
 8.4
 23
 31.9
 6.41 (2.49 to 19.49)
 <0.0001
Direct contact with patients in generale
 7
 5.1
 16
 22.2
 6.93 (2.19 to 28.85)
 0.0003
No patient contactf
 19
 13.9
 21
 30.0
 3.50 (1.42 to 9.47)
 0.0046
Gownb
Direct contact with SARS patients
 6
 4.2
 15
 20.8
 8.85 (2.46 to 48.28)
 0.0002
Direct contact with patients in generalc
 2
 1.4
 12
 16.7
 11.54 (2.56 to 106.36)
 0.0002
No patient contactf
 16
 11.7
 19
 27.1
 3.42 (1.38 to 9.30)
 0.0061
Glovesb
Direct contact with SARS patients
 2
 1.4
 11
 15.3
 20.54 (2.96 to 887.72)
 0.0002
Direct contact with patients in generalc
 5
 3.6
 7
 9.7
 3.53 (0.77 to 21.85)
 0.1211
No patient contactf
 20
 14.6
 19
 27.1
 2.42 (1.05 to 5.81)
 0.0374
Capb
Direct contact with SARS patients
 8
 5.6
 17
 23.6
 7.30 (2.33 to 30.21)
 0.0001
Direct contact with patients in generalc
 5
 3.6
 15
 20.8
 12.81 (2.92 to 116.75)
 0.0001
No patient contact”f
 16
 11.7
 22
 31.4
 4.05 (1.68 to 10.76)
 0.0009
No. of equipment inconsistently used with direct contact with SARS patientsg
0
 129
 90.2
 45
 62.5
 1.00
1–2
 7
 4.9
 13
 18.1
 5.35 (1.79 to 18.53)
 0.0015
>3
 7
 4.9
 14
 19.4
 7.84 (2.30 to 34.83)
 0.0003
No. of equipment inconsistently used with direct contact with patients in generale, g
0
 127
 92.0
 52
 72.2
 1.00
1–2
 6
 4.3
 8
 11.1
 4.85 (1.01 to 31.86)
 0.0479
>3
 5
 3.6
 12
 16.7
 10.83 (2.29 to 102.60)
 0.0007
No. of equipment inconsistently used when there was no patient contact g, h
0
 113
 82.5
 46
 65.7
 1.00
1–2
 6
 4.4
 4
 5.7
 1.56 (0.28 to 7.97)
 0.7721
>3 18 13.1 20 28.6 3.40 (1.37 to 9.23) 0.0061

aSARS, severe acute respiratory syndrome; CI, confidence interval; OR, odds ratio.
bThose having no contact with patients were considered to be unexposed to the tabulated risk factor.
cInformation on 4 controls missing.
dInformation on 4 controls and 2 cases missing .
eInformation on 5 controls missing.
fInformation on 6 controls and 1 case missing.
gInformation on 6 controls and 2 cases missing.
hIncluding N95, goggles, gown, gloves and cap.

Main Article

Page created: January 25, 2011
Page updated: January 25, 2011
Page reviewed: January 25, 2011
The conclusions, findings, and opinions expressed by authors contributing to this journal do not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the authors' affiliated institutions. Use of trade names is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by any of the groups named above.
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