Advanced search
1 file | 264.14 KB Add to list

Diagnosis of COVID-19 based on symptomatic analysis of hospital healthcare workers in Belgium : observational study in a large Belgian tertiary care center during early COVID-19 outbreak

Author
Organization
Abstract
Objective: To identify early symptoms allowing rapid appraisal of infection with SARS-CoV-2 among healthcare workers of a large Belgian hospital. Methods: Healthcare workers with mild symptoms of an acute respiratory tract infection were systematically screened on clinical characteristics of corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19). A nasopharyngeal swab was taken and analyzed by real-time Reverse-Transcription-Polymerase-Chain-Reaction (rRT-PCR). Results: Fifty percent of 373 workers tested COVID-19 positive. The symptoms cough (82%), headache (78%), myalgia (70%), loss of smell or taste (40%), and fever more than or equal to 37.5 degrees C (76%) were significantly higher among those infected. Conclusion: Where each individual symptom contributes to the clinical evaluation of possible infection, it is the combination of COVID-19 symptoms that could allow for a rapid diagnostic appraisal of the disease in a high prevalence setting. Early transmission control is important at the onset of an epidemic.

Downloads

  • Diagnosis of COVID 19 Based on Symptomatic.4.pdf
    • full text (Published version)
    • |
    • open access
    • |
    • PDF
    • |
    • 264.14 KB

Citation

Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:

MLA
Van Loon, Nele, et al. “Diagnosis of COVID-19 Based on Symptomatic Analysis of Hospital Healthcare Workers in Belgium : Observational Study in a Large Belgian Tertiary Care Center during Early COVID-19 Outbreak.” JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE, vol. 63, no. 1, 2021, pp. 27–31, doi:10.1097/JOM.0000000000002015.
APA
Van Loon, N., Verbrugghe, M., Cartuyvels, R., & Ramaekers, D. (2021). Diagnosis of COVID-19 based on symptomatic analysis of hospital healthcare workers in Belgium : observational study in a large Belgian tertiary care center during early COVID-19 outbreak. JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE, 63(1), 27–31. https://doi.org/10.1097/JOM.0000000000002015
Chicago author-date
Van Loon, Nele, Mathieu Verbrugghe, Reinoud Cartuyvels, and Dirk Ramaekers. 2021. “Diagnosis of COVID-19 Based on Symptomatic Analysis of Hospital Healthcare Workers in Belgium : Observational Study in a Large Belgian Tertiary Care Center during Early COVID-19 Outbreak.” JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE 63 (1): 27–31. https://doi.org/10.1097/JOM.0000000000002015.
Chicago author-date (all authors)
Van Loon, Nele, Mathieu Verbrugghe, Reinoud Cartuyvels, and Dirk Ramaekers. 2021. “Diagnosis of COVID-19 Based on Symptomatic Analysis of Hospital Healthcare Workers in Belgium : Observational Study in a Large Belgian Tertiary Care Center during Early COVID-19 Outbreak.” JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE 63 (1): 27–31. doi:10.1097/JOM.0000000000002015.
Vancouver
1.
Van Loon N, Verbrugghe M, Cartuyvels R, Ramaekers D. Diagnosis of COVID-19 based on symptomatic analysis of hospital healthcare workers in Belgium : observational study in a large Belgian tertiary care center during early COVID-19 outbreak. JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE. 2021;63(1):27–31.
IEEE
[1]
N. Van Loon, M. Verbrugghe, R. Cartuyvels, and D. Ramaekers, “Diagnosis of COVID-19 based on symptomatic analysis of hospital healthcare workers in Belgium : observational study in a large Belgian tertiary care center during early COVID-19 outbreak,” JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE, vol. 63, no. 1, pp. 27–31, 2021.
@article{8738193,
  abstract     = {{Objective: To identify early symptoms allowing rapid appraisal of infection with SARS-CoV-2 among healthcare workers of a large Belgian hospital. Methods: Healthcare workers with mild symptoms of an acute respiratory tract infection were systematically screened on clinical characteristics of corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19). A nasopharyngeal swab was taken and analyzed by real-time Reverse-Transcription-Polymerase-Chain-Reaction (rRT-PCR). Results: Fifty percent of 373 workers tested COVID-19 positive. The symptoms cough (82%), headache (78%), myalgia (70%), loss of smell or taste (40%), and fever more than or equal to 37.5 degrees C (76%) were significantly higher among those infected. Conclusion: Where each individual symptom contributes to the clinical evaluation of possible infection, it is the combination of COVID-19 symptoms that could allow for a rapid diagnostic appraisal of the disease in a high prevalence setting. Early transmission control is important at the onset of an epidemic.}},
  author       = {{Van Loon, Nele and Verbrugghe, Mathieu and Cartuyvels, Reinoud and Ramaekers, Dirk}},
  issn         = {{1076-2752}},
  journal      = {{JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{27--31}},
  title        = {{Diagnosis of COVID-19 based on symptomatic analysis of hospital healthcare workers in Belgium : observational study in a large Belgian tertiary care center during early COVID-19 outbreak}},
  url          = {{http://doi.org/10.1097/JOM.0000000000002015}},
  volume       = {{63}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}

Altmetric
View in Altmetric
Web of Science
Times cited: