Design and evaluation of a portable negative pressure hood with HEPA filtration to protect health care workers treating patients with transmissible respiratory infections

Health care workers (HCWs) are at an increased risk of being exposed to COVID-19. This study aimed to characterize flu-like syndrome cases (FS) in HCWs notified in Brazil and compare them with FS cases in the general community (GC). In the Brazilian protocol, FS corresponds to a suspected case of COVID-19. The manuscript analyzed cases of FS in five Brazilian states, estimating the incidence rates of cases of FS and clinical and epidemiological characteristics. Registered cases (March to June 2020) totaled about 1,100,000 cases of FS. HCWs represented 17% of the registers, whose incidence was 20.41/100 vs. 2.15/100 in the GC. FS cases in HCWs concentrated the highest percentages in the age group of 30 to 49 years (65.15%) and among the nursing staff (46.86%). This study was the first interstate evaluation in Brazil to estimate suspected cases of FS by COVID-19 in HCWs. In order to control the spread of viral respiratory infections in HCWs, including COVID-19, it is necessary to review the management of health information to identify who they are, how many they are, and to what situations these workers are most frequently exposed, as well as in what professions they have. This information can guide specific, practical, and far-reaching actions.

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Negative Pressure Tent to Reduce Exposure of Health Care Workers to SARS CoV-2 During Aerosol Generating Respiratory Therapies

CHEST Journal ◽

10.1016/j.chest.2020.04.070 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 158 (4) ◽

pp. 1331 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Thomas H. Fox ◽

Bennett P. deBoisblanc ◽

Michael Silverblatt ◽

Alisha Lacour

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Health Care Workers ◽

Negative Pressure ◽

Care Workers

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Pediatrician’s dilemmas in the era of a pandemic

Medycyna Faktów ◽

10.24292/01.mf.0320.9 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (3) ◽

pp. 344-349

Author(s):

Adam J. Sybilski

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Health Care Workers ◽

Respiratory Diseases ◽

Respiratory Infections ◽

Winter Season ◽

Current Season ◽

Family Doctors ◽

Care Workers ◽

Precise Diagnosis ◽

Autumn And Winter

The COVID-19 pandemic, announced in March 2020, forced health care workers, especially family doctors and pediatricians, to act in a special way and to increase their diagnostic vigilance. In the upcoming autumn and winter season, with an increased incidence of respiratory infections, including influenza, precise diagnosis and then effective therapy will be crucial. We can face many diagnostic and therapeutic dilemmas. In the presented article, the author tries to present possible typical scenarios of respiratory diseases in children. Five cases of children were described: with common cold, flu, acute laryngitis, obstructive bronchitis, exacerbation of bronchial asthma. Additionally, a patient with COVID-19 was discussed, which in the current season may additionally complicate the correct procedure. The differential diagnosis of these diseases is presented, followed by the basic therapeutic directions, with particular emphasis on inhalation treatment.

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Aerosolized Particle Reduction: A Novel Cadaveric Model and a Negative Airway Pressure Respirator (NAPR) System to Protect Health Care Workers From COVID-19

Otolaryngology ◽

10.1177/0194599820929275 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 163 (1) ◽

pp. 151-155 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Tawfiq Khoury ◽

Pascal Lavergne ◽

Chandala Chitguppi ◽

Mindy Rabinowitz ◽

Gurston Nyquist ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Health Care Workers ◽

Negative Pressure ◽

Small Particle ◽

Airway Pressure ◽

Evaluation Study ◽

Pressure System ◽

Fresh Tissue ◽

Care Workers ◽

Negative Airway Pressure

Objectives This study aimed to identify escape of small-particle aerosols from a variety of masks using simulated breathing conditions. This study also aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a negative-pressure environment around the face in preventing the escape of small aerosolized particles. Study Design This study is an evaluation study with specific methodology described below. Setting This study was performed in our institution’s fresh tissue laboratory. Subjects and Methods A fixed cadaver head was placed in a controlled environment with a black background, and small-particle aerosols were created using joss incense sticks (mass-median aerosol diameter of 0.28 µ). Smoke was passed through the cadaver head, and images were taken with a high-resolution camera in a standardized manner. Digital image processing was used to calculate relative amounts of small-particle escape from a variety of masks, including a standard surgical mask, a modified Ambu mask, and our negative airway pressure respirator (NAPR). Results Significant amounts of aerosolized particles escaped during the trials with no mask, a standard surgical mask, and the NAPR without suction. When suction was applied to the NAPR, creating a negative-pressure system, no particle escape was noted. Conclusion We present a new and effective method for the study of small-particle aerosols as a step toward better understanding the spread of these particles and the transmission of coronavirus disease 2019. We also present the concept of an NAPR to better protect health care workers from aerosols generated from the upper and lower airways.

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Prevalence and risk indicators of first-wave COVID-19 among oral health-care workers: A French epidemiological survey

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0246586 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (2) ◽

pp. e0246586

Author(s):

Sébastien Jungo ◽

Nathan Moreau ◽

Marco E. Mazevet ◽

Anne-Laure Ejeil ◽

Martin Biosse Duplan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Oral Health ◽

Health Care Workers ◽

Respiratory Infections ◽

Oral Health Care ◽

Risk Indicators ◽

Clinical Phenotypes ◽

Care Workers ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Dental Assistants

Background Previous studies have highlighted the increased risk of contracting the COVID-19 for health-care workers and suggest that oral health-care workers may carry the greatest risk. Considering the transmission route of the SARS-CoV-2 infection, a similar increased risk can be hypothesized for other respiratory infections. However, no study has specifically assessed the risk of contracting COVID-19 within the dental profession. Methods An online survey was conducted within a population of French dental professionals between April 1 and April 29, 2020. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to explore risk indicators associated with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 and COVID-19-related clinical phenotypes (i.e. phenotypes present in 15% or more of SARS-CoV-2-positive cases). Results 4172 dentists and 1868 dental assistants responded to the survey, representing approximately 10% of French oral health-care workers. The prevalence of laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 was 1.9% for dentists and 0.8% for dental assistants. Higher prevalence was found for COVID-19-related clinical phenotypes both in dentists (15.0%) and dental assistants (11.8%). Chronic kidney disease and obesity were associated with increased odds of laboratory-confirmed COVID-19, whereas working in a practice limited to endodontics was associated with decreased odds. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, use of public transportation and having a practice limited to periodontology were associated with increased odds of presenting a COVID-19-related clinical phenotype. Moreover, changes in work rhythm or clinical practice were associated with decreased odds of both outcomes. Conclusions Although oral health-care professionals were surprisingly not at higher risk of COVID-19 than the general population, specific risk indicators could exist, notably among high aerosol-generating dental subspecialties such as periodontology. Considering the similarities between COVID-19-related clinical phenotypes other viral respiratory infections, lessons can be learned from the COVID-19 pandemic regarding the usefulness of equipping and protecting oral health-care workers, notably during seasonal viral outbreaks, to limit infection spread. Impact Results from this study may provide important insights for relevant health authorities regarding the overall infection status of oral health-care workers in the current pandemic and draw attention to particular at-risk groups, as illustrated in the present study. Protecting oral health-care workers could be an interesting public health strategy to prevent the resurgence of COVID-19 and/or the emergence of new pandemics.

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Organizational Factors and Health Care Workers' Physical Safety

PsycEXTRA Dataset ◽

10.1037/e338142004-001 ◽

2013 ◽

Author(s):

Jane Lipscomb ◽

Jeanne Geiger-Brown ◽

Katherine McPhaul ◽

Karen Calabro

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Health Care Workers ◽

Organizational Factors ◽

Care Workers

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