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. 2010 Oct;16(10):1554-61.
doi: 10.3201/eid1610.100516.

Risk factors for pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus seroconversion among hospital staff, Singapore

Mark I C Chen  1 , Vernon J M Lee, Ian Barr, Cui Lin, Rachelle Goh, Caroline Lee, Baldev Singh, Jessie Tan, Wei Yen Lim, Alex R Cook, Brenda Ang, Angela Chow, Boon Huan Tan, Jimmy Loh, Robert Shaw, Kee Seng Chia, Raymond T P Lin, Yee Sin Leo
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Risk factors for pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus seroconversion among hospital staff, Singapore

Mark I C Chen et al. Emerg Infect Dis. 2010 Oct.

Abstract

We describe incidence and risk factors for pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus infection in healthcare personnel during the June-September 2009 epidemic in Singapore. Personnel contributed 3 serologic samples during June-October 2009, with seroconversion defined as a ≥4-fold increase in hemagglutination inhibition titers to pandemic (H1N1) 2009. Of 531 participants, 35 showed evidence of seroconversion. Seroconversion rates were highest in nurses (28/290) and lowest in allied health staff (2/116). Significant risk factors on multivariate analysis were being a nurse (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 4.5, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.0-19.6) and working in pandemic (H1N1) 2009 isolation wards (aOR 4.5, 95% CI 1.3-15.6). Contact with pandemic (H1N1) 2009-infected colleagues (aOR 2.5, 95% CI 0.9-6.6) and larger household size (aOR 1.2, 95% CI 1.0-1.4) were of borderline significance. Our study suggests that seroconversion was associated with occupational and nonoccupational risk factors.

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Figure
Figure
Univariate analysis for nonoccupational exposures to pandemic (H1N1) 2009 among healthcare workers, Singapore. Error bars indicate 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for odds ratios (ORs). †n/N, no. of seroconverters/no. in strata. HH, household; HCP, healthcare provider; HHM, household member; ARI, acute respiratory illness; FRI, febrile respiratory illness.
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