SARS-CoV-2 infection in mortuary and cemetery workers
Background: Mortuary and cemetery workers may be exposed to the bodies of people with SARS-CoV-2 infection; however, prevalence of infection among these groups is unknown. Methods: Nasopharyngeal swabs (NPS) for RT-PCR and serologic testing for SARS-CoV-2 were performed on mortuary and cemetery work...
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2021-04-01
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doaj-65d5dcd35a724d81b766226fb1eb621a2021-04-26T05:54:42ZengElsevierInternational Journal of Infectious Diseases1201-97122021-04-01105621625SARS-CoV-2 infection in mortuary and cemetery workersMoza Alishaq0Andrew Jeremijenko1Hanaa Nafady-Hego2Jameela Ali Al Ajmi3Mohamed Elgendy4Rayyan Abdulaziz Attya Fadel5Anil George Thomas6Mohammed A.A. Alahmed7Adham Ammar8Meryem Bensaad9Bayan Al-Barghouthi10Peter Coyle11Hamed Elgendy12Abdul-Badi Abou-Samra13Adeel A. Butt14Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, QatarHamad Medical Corporation, Doha, QatarHamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar; Microbiology and Immunology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, EgyptHamad Medical Corporation, Doha, QatarFaculty of Medicine, Universiti Sains of Malaysia, Kelantan, MalaysiaHamad Medical Corporation, Doha, QatarHamad Medical Corporation, Doha, QatarHamad Medical Corporation, Doha, QatarHamad Medical Corporation, Doha, QatarWeill Cornell Medicine–Qatar, Doha, QatarWeill Cornell Medicine–Qatar, Doha, QatarHamad Medical Corporation, Doha, QatarHamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar; Weill Cornell Medicine–Qatar, Doha, Qatar; Anesthesia Department, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, EgyptHamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar; Weill Cornell Medicine–Qatar, Doha, QatarHamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar; Weill Cornell Medicine–Qatar, Doha, Qatar; Corresponding author at: Hamad Medical Corporation, PO Box 3050, Doha, Qatar.Background: Mortuary and cemetery workers may be exposed to the bodies of people with SARS-CoV-2 infection; however, prevalence of infection among these groups is unknown. Methods: Nasopharyngeal swabs (NPS) for RT-PCR and serologic testing for SARS-CoV-2 were performed on mortuary and cemetery workers in Qatar. Data on specific job duties, living conditions, contact history, and clinical course were gathered. Environmental sampling was carried out to explore any association with infection. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the factors associated with infection. Results: Forty-seven mortuary workers provided an NPS and seven (14.9%) were PCR positive; 32 provided a blood sample and eight (25%) were antibody positive, six (75%) who were seropositive were also PCR positive. Among the 81 cemetery workers, 76 provided an NPS and five (6.6%) were PCR positive; 64 provided a blood sample and 22 (34.4%) were antibody positive, three (13.6%) who were seropositive were also PCR positive. Three (22.2%) and 20 (83.3%) of the infected mortuary and cemetery workers were asymptomatic, respectively. Age <30 years (OR 4.9, 95% CI 1.7–14.6), community exposure with a known case (OR 4.7, 95% CI 1.7–13.3), and presence of symptoms in the preceding 2 weeks (OR 9.0, 95% CI 1.9–42.0) were independently associated with an increased risk of infection (PCR or antibody positive). Of the 46 environmental and surface samples, all were negative or had a Ct value of >35. Conclusion: A substantial proportion of mortuary and cemetery workers had evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection, which was incidentally detected upon serologic testing. These data are most consistent with community acquisition rather than occupational acquisition.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1201971221002290SARS-CoV-2COVID-19CemeteryMortuaryHealthcare workersQatar |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Moza Alishaq Andrew Jeremijenko Hanaa Nafady-Hego Jameela Ali Al Ajmi Mohamed Elgendy Rayyan Abdulaziz Attya Fadel Anil George Thomas Mohammed A.A. Alahmed Adham Ammar Meryem Bensaad Bayan Al-Barghouthi Peter Coyle Hamed Elgendy Abdul-Badi Abou-Samra Adeel A. Butt |
spellingShingle |
Moza Alishaq Andrew Jeremijenko Hanaa Nafady-Hego Jameela Ali Al Ajmi Mohamed Elgendy Rayyan Abdulaziz Attya Fadel Anil George Thomas Mohammed A.A. Alahmed Adham Ammar Meryem Bensaad Bayan Al-Barghouthi Peter Coyle Hamed Elgendy Abdul-Badi Abou-Samra Adeel A. Butt SARS-CoV-2 infection in mortuary and cemetery workers International Journal of Infectious Diseases SARS-CoV-2 COVID-19 Cemetery Mortuary Healthcare workers Qatar |
author_facet |
Moza Alishaq Andrew Jeremijenko Hanaa Nafady-Hego Jameela Ali Al Ajmi Mohamed Elgendy Rayyan Abdulaziz Attya Fadel Anil George Thomas Mohammed A.A. Alahmed Adham Ammar Meryem Bensaad Bayan Al-Barghouthi Peter Coyle Hamed Elgendy Abdul-Badi Abou-Samra Adeel A. Butt |
author_sort |
Moza Alishaq |
title |
SARS-CoV-2 infection in mortuary and cemetery workers |
title_short |
SARS-CoV-2 infection in mortuary and cemetery workers |
title_full |
SARS-CoV-2 infection in mortuary and cemetery workers |
title_fullStr |
SARS-CoV-2 infection in mortuary and cemetery workers |
title_full_unstemmed |
SARS-CoV-2 infection in mortuary and cemetery workers |
title_sort |
sars-cov-2 infection in mortuary and cemetery workers |
publisher |
Elsevier |
series |
International Journal of Infectious Diseases |
issn |
1201-9712 |
publishDate |
2021-04-01 |
description |
Background: Mortuary and cemetery workers may be exposed to the bodies of people with SARS-CoV-2 infection; however, prevalence of infection among these groups is unknown. Methods: Nasopharyngeal swabs (NPS) for RT-PCR and serologic testing for SARS-CoV-2 were performed on mortuary and cemetery workers in Qatar. Data on specific job duties, living conditions, contact history, and clinical course were gathered. Environmental sampling was carried out to explore any association with infection. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the factors associated with infection. Results: Forty-seven mortuary workers provided an NPS and seven (14.9%) were PCR positive; 32 provided a blood sample and eight (25%) were antibody positive, six (75%) who were seropositive were also PCR positive. Among the 81 cemetery workers, 76 provided an NPS and five (6.6%) were PCR positive; 64 provided a blood sample and 22 (34.4%) were antibody positive, three (13.6%) who were seropositive were also PCR positive. Three (22.2%) and 20 (83.3%) of the infected mortuary and cemetery workers were asymptomatic, respectively. Age <30 years (OR 4.9, 95% CI 1.7–14.6), community exposure with a known case (OR 4.7, 95% CI 1.7–13.3), and presence of symptoms in the preceding 2 weeks (OR 9.0, 95% CI 1.9–42.0) were independently associated with an increased risk of infection (PCR or antibody positive). Of the 46 environmental and surface samples, all were negative or had a Ct value of >35. Conclusion: A substantial proportion of mortuary and cemetery workers had evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection, which was incidentally detected upon serologic testing. These data are most consistent with community acquisition rather than occupational acquisition. |
topic |
SARS-CoV-2 COVID-19 Cemetery Mortuary Healthcare workers Qatar |
url |
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1201971221002290 |
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