SARS exposure and emergency department workers

Emerg Infect Dis. 2004 Jun;10(6):1117-9. doi: 10.3201/eid1006.030972.

Abstract

Of 193 emergency department workers exposed to severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), 9 (4.7%) were infected. Pneumonia developed in six workers, and assays showed anti-SARS immunoglobulin (Ig) M and IgG. The other three workers were IgM-positive and had lower IgG titers; in two, mild illness developed, and one remained asymptomatic.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antibodies, Viral / blood
  • Disease Outbreaks*
  • Emergency Service, Hospital
  • Female
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique
  • Health Personnel*
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin G / blood
  • Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional
  • Male
  • RNA, Viral / chemistry
  • RNA, Viral / genetics
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / epidemiology*
  • Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / transmission
  • Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / virology
  • Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus*
  • Taiwan / epidemiology

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • RNA, Viral