Nosocomial COVID-19. Prospective study in a referral hospital

Abstract

Background and objective: The objective was to describe the clinical characteristics and prognosis of patients with nosocomial SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Methods: An observational and prospective study was performed in a referral hospital. We included all adult patients diagnosed with nosocomial SARS-CoV-2 infection in October 2020. Nosocomial infection was defined as a negative PCR for SARS-CoV-2 on admission and a positive PCR after 7 days of hospitalization.

Results: We included 66 cases of nosocomial SARS-CoV-2 infection: 39 (59%) men, median age at diagnosis was 74.5 years (IQR 56.8-83.1) and median Charlson comorbidity index was 3 points (IQR 1-5). Twenty-seven (41%) developed pneumonia and 13 (20%) died during admission. Mortality at 28 days was 33% (22 patients). Mortality at 28 days in the 242 patients with community-acquired SARS-CoV-2 infection who were hospitalized during the same period was 10%.

Conclusions: Preventive measures and early detection of nosocomial outbreaks of COVID-19 should be prioritized to minimize the negative impact of this infection.

Keywords: COVID-19; Control de infección; Coronavirus; Infection control; Nosocomial; Prevención; Prevention; SARS-CoV-2.