Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection among COVID-19 RT-PCR laboratory workers in Bangladesh

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundHealth care workers (HCWs) at the frontline are confronting a substantial risk of infection during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This emerging virus created specific hazards to researchers and laboratory staff in a clinical setting, underlined by rapid and extensive worldwide transmission. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection among COVID-19 RT-PCR laboratory health workers in Bangladesh.Materials & MethodsThis retrospective study was conducted between October 2 to December 2, 2020. A total of 508 participants, including doctors, scientific officers, medical technologists, and cleaners working in several COVID-19 RT-PCR laboratories, were included in this study. Data were collected from each participant using a semi-structured questionnaire prepared in the format of an anonymous Google form. All participants provided informed consent. The Ethical clearance was obtained from the Institutional Ethics Review Committee of Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College, Dhaka, Bangladesh. All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) version 25.0 software (SPSS, Inc).ResultsOut of the 508 participants, 295 tested positive for SARS CoV-2 RT-PCR. Among the positive cases, 202 were men, 93 were women, with the median age of 30 years. The most positive cases were medical technologists (53.22%) followed by doctors (28.8%). Out of the 271 symptomatic positive cases, the most typical symptoms were fever (78.5%), fatigue (70%), loss of smell and taste (65%), cough (64%), and others. Hypertension, obesity, and diabetes were found in 8.8%, 8.8%, and 7.1% positive cases. A + blood group was present in 37% of the positive cases, followed by the B+ blood group (27%) and O+ blood group (25%). Inadequate supply of personal protection equipment (PPE), absence of negative pressure ventilation, laboratory contamination, and no training on molecular test methods were found in 13.8%, 67.8%, 44.7%, and 40.6% of positive cases, respectively.ConclusionEvaluating the infection status of laboratory health workers is crucial for drawing attention from the public, providing practical suggestions for government agencies, and increasing protective measures for laboratory health workers.