Source avec lien : medRxiv, (En ligne). 10.1101/2022.10.30.22281627
La variante Omicron du virus du SRAS-CoV-2 est décrite comme plus contagieuse que les variantes précédentes. Nous avons cherché à évaluer le risque pour les travailleurs de la santé (TS) s’occupant de patients atteints de la variante Omicron dans des contextes chirurgicaux/obstétricaux, ainsi que la perception du risque au sein de ce groupe.
Introduction The Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is described as more contagious than previous variants. We sought to assess risk to healthcare workers (HCWs) caring for patients with COVID-19 in surgical/obstetrical settings, and the perception of risk amongst this group.Methods From January to April, 2022, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the presence of SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA in patient, environmental (floor, equipment, passive air) samples, and HCW’s masks (inside surface) during urgent surgery or obstetrical delivery for patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. The primary outcome was the proportion of HCWs’ masks testing positive. Results were compared with our previous cross-sectional study involving obstetrical/surgical patients with earlier variants (2020/21). HCWs completed a risk perception electronic questionnaire.Results 11 patients were included: 3 vaginal births and 8 surgeries. 5/108 samples (5%) tested positive (SARS-CoV-2 Omicron) viral RNA: 2/5 endotracheal tubes, 1/22 floor samples, 1/4 patient masks and 1 nasal probe. No samples from the HCWs masks (0/35), surgical equipment (0/10) and air samples (0/11) tested positive. No significant differences were found between the Omicron and 2020/21 patient groups’ positivity rates (Mann-Whitney U test, p = 0.838) or the level of viral load from the nasopharyngeal swabs (p = 0.405). Nurses had a higher risk perception than physicians (p = 0.038).Conclusion No significant difference in contamination rates were found between SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.1 and previous variants in surgical/obstetrical settings. This is reassuring as no HCW mask was positive and no HCW tested positive for COVID-19 post-exposure.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.Funding StatementThis study was supported by the Sunnybrook AFP Association through the Innovation Fund of the Alternative Funding Plan for the Academic Health Sciences Centres of Ontario (Lee) and a CREMS summer research student award from the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto (Nair). The funders had no role in the design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis and interpretation of the data; preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript; and decision to submit the manuscript for publication. Author DeclarationsI confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained.YesThe details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below:Sunnybrook Research Ethics BoardI confirm that all necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived, and that any patient/participant/sample identifiers included were not known to anyone (e.g., hospital staff, patients or participants themselves) outside the research group so cannot be used to identify individuals.YesI understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance).YesI have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines and uploaded the relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material as supplementary files, if applicable.YesAll data produced in the present study are available upon reasonable request to the authors.