From Acute Phase to Long COVID: A Cross-Sectional Study of the Epidemiological Profile and Clinical Evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Employees at a Pediatric Hospital
Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic began in Brazil on 26 February 2020. By 6 May 2023, 37.4 million cases had been confirmed, causing 701 thousand deaths in the country. We aimed to describe the epidemiological profile and clinical development of COVID-19 cases among the em...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Journal of Clinical Medicine |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/12/13/4325 |
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| author | Marielen Ribeiro Tavares da Silva Ana Paula Costa Amanda Almeida da Luz Caio Henrique Pelaio Felipe Baleche Cruz Giovanna Fischer Steil Heloisa Ihle Garcia Giamberardino Carolina Prando |
| author_facet | Marielen Ribeiro Tavares da Silva Ana Paula Costa Amanda Almeida da Luz Caio Henrique Pelaio Felipe Baleche Cruz Giovanna Fischer Steil Heloisa Ihle Garcia Giamberardino Carolina Prando |
| author_sort | Marielen Ribeiro Tavares da Silva |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic began in Brazil on 26 February 2020. By 6 May 2023, 37.4 million cases had been confirmed, causing 701 thousand deaths in the country. We aimed to describe the epidemiological profile and clinical development of COVID-19 cases among the employees of a health institution, from acute infection to long COVID. Methods: This was a longitudinal study using a retrospective and prospective approach via questionnaires referring to epidemiological investigation, which was the inclusion criteria, and about long-term symptoms. Results: A total of 809 employees were detected with SARS-CoV-2 infection via RT-PCR, 466 of them answered the epidemiological investigation, and 101 completed the Long COVID Symptom Questionnaire. The most commonly affected employees were women (88.6%) working in patient care (68.6%). Headache, myalgia, cough, odynophagia, and runny nose were the most frequent symptoms. Only three employees (0.6%) required hospitalization, while the other employees required outpatient management due to mild symptoms. We identified 19 (4.1%) cases of reinfection, and 42 (41.6%) employees reported long-term symptoms, such as myalgia, dyspnea, and headache. Conclusions: Although most cases were mild with good outcomes, long COVID cases identified are noteworthy, as these symptoms may impact quality of life even months after SARS-CoV-2 infection. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T01:36:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-10b7ee7093734fc599807b733f569fb2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-0383 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T01:36:47Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Clinical Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-10b7ee7093734fc599807b733f569fb22023-11-18T16:52:15ZengMDPI AGJournal of Clinical Medicine2077-03832023-06-011213432510.3390/jcm12134325From Acute Phase to Long COVID: A Cross-Sectional Study of the Epidemiological Profile and Clinical Evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Employees at a Pediatric HospitalMarielen Ribeiro Tavares da Silva0Ana Paula Costa1Amanda Almeida da Luz2Caio Henrique Pelaio3Felipe Baleche Cruz4Giovanna Fischer Steil5Heloisa Ihle Garcia Giamberardino6Carolina Prando7Faculdades Pequeno Príncipe, Curitiba 80230-020, PR, BrazilHospital Pequeno Príncipe, Curitiba 80250-060, PR, BrazilFaculdades Pequeno Príncipe, Curitiba 80230-020, PR, BrazilInstituto de Pesquisa Pelé Príncipe, Curitiba 80250-060, PR, BrazilInstituto de Pesquisa Pelé Príncipe, Curitiba 80250-060, PR, BrazilFaculdades Pequeno Príncipe, Curitiba 80230-020, PR, BrazilHospital Pequeno Príncipe, Curitiba 80250-060, PR, BrazilFaculdades Pequeno Príncipe, Curitiba 80230-020, PR, BrazilBackground: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic began in Brazil on 26 February 2020. By 6 May 2023, 37.4 million cases had been confirmed, causing 701 thousand deaths in the country. We aimed to describe the epidemiological profile and clinical development of COVID-19 cases among the employees of a health institution, from acute infection to long COVID. Methods: This was a longitudinal study using a retrospective and prospective approach via questionnaires referring to epidemiological investigation, which was the inclusion criteria, and about long-term symptoms. Results: A total of 809 employees were detected with SARS-CoV-2 infection via RT-PCR, 466 of them answered the epidemiological investigation, and 101 completed the Long COVID Symptom Questionnaire. The most commonly affected employees were women (88.6%) working in patient care (68.6%). Headache, myalgia, cough, odynophagia, and runny nose were the most frequent symptoms. Only three employees (0.6%) required hospitalization, while the other employees required outpatient management due to mild symptoms. We identified 19 (4.1%) cases of reinfection, and 42 (41.6%) employees reported long-term symptoms, such as myalgia, dyspnea, and headache. Conclusions: Although most cases were mild with good outcomes, long COVID cases identified are noteworthy, as these symptoms may impact quality of life even months after SARS-CoV-2 infection.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/12/13/4325COVID-19long COVIDhealthcare professionalsreinfectionoccupational medicine |
| spellingShingle | Marielen Ribeiro Tavares da Silva Ana Paula Costa Amanda Almeida da Luz Caio Henrique Pelaio Felipe Baleche Cruz Giovanna Fischer Steil Heloisa Ihle Garcia Giamberardino Carolina Prando From Acute Phase to Long COVID: A Cross-Sectional Study of the Epidemiological Profile and Clinical Evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Employees at a Pediatric Hospital Journal of Clinical Medicine COVID-19 long COVID healthcare professionals reinfection occupational medicine |
| title | From Acute Phase to Long COVID: A Cross-Sectional Study of the Epidemiological Profile and Clinical Evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Employees at a Pediatric Hospital |
| title_full | From Acute Phase to Long COVID: A Cross-Sectional Study of the Epidemiological Profile and Clinical Evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Employees at a Pediatric Hospital |
| title_fullStr | From Acute Phase to Long COVID: A Cross-Sectional Study of the Epidemiological Profile and Clinical Evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Employees at a Pediatric Hospital |
| title_full_unstemmed | From Acute Phase to Long COVID: A Cross-Sectional Study of the Epidemiological Profile and Clinical Evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Employees at a Pediatric Hospital |
| title_short | From Acute Phase to Long COVID: A Cross-Sectional Study of the Epidemiological Profile and Clinical Evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Employees at a Pediatric Hospital |
| title_sort | from acute phase to long covid a cross sectional study of the epidemiological profile and clinical evaluation of sars cov 2 infection in employees at a pediatric hospital |
| topic | COVID-19 long COVID healthcare professionals reinfection occupational medicine |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/12/13/4325 |
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