The global impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has been profound, affecting billions of lives worldwide. As of June 13, 2024, the virus has infected approximately 704 million people and led to a staggering death toll of 7 million. In the fight against this devastating virus, the development and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines have been identified (...)

In EU countries, 33,000 people die of antibiotic-resistant infections annually, and Türkiye is one of the countries with the highest rate of antimicrobial resistance. More than 70% of these infections are directly related to healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). Implementing IPC measures is critical to preventing HAIs in ICUs, with the highest risk of HAIs. However, compliance with IPC measures by HCWs is suboptimal. In this study, we aimed to identify the barriers to compliance with infection prevention and control (IPC) measures in intensive care units (ICUs) and to find solutions by interviewing healthcare workers (HCWs). The study used a qualitative approach with in-depth face-to-face interviews. Between March 1 and May 31, 2024, 20 HCWs were interviewed in five tertiary hospitals in Istanbul. Purposive sampling included at least three HCWs from each hospital: an IPC nurse or physician, an ICU physician, and an ICU nurse. The conceptual framework of the semi-structured interview guide was based on the Health Belief Model (HBM). The majority of HCWs were aware of the importance and benefits of IPC measures; however, none reported full compliance. A significant proportion of HCWs (n = 16) reported that in-service training programs conducted by infection control committees were not effective enough to positively influence staff behaviuor. Increased workload (n = 13) and unexpected medical emergencies interrupting IPC activities (n = 13) were also cited as barriers to compliance. More than half of respondents indicated that increased sanctions (n = 11), stricter control mechanisms (n = 11), and more effective IPC training programs (n = 11) would help improve compliance rates. Addressing barriers and implementing tailored solutions can significantly enhance compliance. By integrating innovative training programs, improving working conditions, and strengthening enforcement mechanisms, hospital administrators and IPC committees can foster a safer environment for patients, HCWs, and the broader community.

Objective: We aimed to describe the risks of health care workers (HCWs) getting COVID-19, and analyze the transmission routes and dynamics of the infection. Methods: This is a prospective observational study. We screened 624 HCWs from April 1 to May 15, 2020, in a hospital with 300 hospital beds, in Istanbul, Turkey. All the HCWs working at high-risk areas (COVID wards, emergency departments, and intensive care units) were routinely screened every four weeks. The HCWs were grouped as high, moderate, low and none according to their risk of infection.
Results: Out of 1300 total HCWs, 42 (3.2%) were diagnosed as COVID-19, 39 (3%) were confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. Among 42 symptomatic cases, 26 (62%) HCWs were hospitalized, mainly because of isolation needs, 62% received hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) alone, 11.5% HCQ + azithromycin, and 11.5% favipiravir only. All survived. We detected nine asymptomatic cases out of 550 HCWs (1.6%) in our screening for antibody levels. In none of the nine asymptomatic HCWs, SARS-CoV-2 RNA was not detected by PCR. In multivariate analysis for detecting the risk factors of the SARS-CoV-2 infection, working in high-risk areas (OR:5.2, CI:1.99-13.6, p=0.001), and not to use proper personal protective equipment (PPE) (OR:5.9, CI:1.66-21.2, p=0.006) increased the risk of infection. Conclusion: Routine screening of asymptomatic HCWs with antibody tests might be useful, but its effectiveness was limited. The HCWs working in high-risk areas had significantly higher risk. The strict use of appropriate PPE was effective in prevention. Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, healthcare workers, SARS-CoV-2 infection screening

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are accepted as one of the most important challenges in hospital settings. They cause extended lengths of stay -at the hospital, threatening patient safety, increasing the rate of morbidity and mortality, raising the workforce of healthcare workers and accelerating antimicrobial resistance. According to the World Health Organization (WHO),

We performed a prospective longitudinal cohort study in two healthcare settings. In total, 909 HCWs out of 3982 (23.35%) were diagnosed with COVID-19 before the vaccination era. Eighty-five per cent of COVID-19 positive HCWs (n = 774) were asymptomatic or mild, and 15% were moderate or severe. The mean age of the infected HCWs in the moderate or severe group was higher than the mild or asymptomatic group (35.4 vs. 31.3 years, p < 0.001). Thirty-two per cent of HCWs were male and the rate of male gender was more frequent in the moderate/severe group (p = 0.009). The rate of those who have cardiovascular diseases (p = 0.003) and diabetes mellitus (p = 0.044) were significantly higher among the HCWs with moderate or severe COVID-19. In multivariate analysis, male gender (OR:1.65, CI:1.11–2.46, p = 0.013), BMI > 30 (OR: 1.9, CI: 1.09–3.51, p = 0.024), and being physician (OR: 2.56, CI:1.45–4.52, p = 0.001) were found to be associated with moderate or severe COVID-19.