“Swab Team” in the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak containment among healthcare workers

  • Francesco Bussu Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
  • Davide Rizzo Otolaryngology Division, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria, Sassari, Italy
  • Laura Saderi Clinical Epidemiology and Medical Statistics Unit, Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
  • Antonio Piras Otolaryngology Division, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria, Sassari, Italy
  • Laura Maria De Luca Otolaryngology Division, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria, Sassari, Italy
  • Giacomo De Riu Swab Team, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria, Sassari, Italy
  • Luigi Angelo Vaira Maxillofacial Surgery Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria, Sassari, Italy
  • Antonello Serra Swab Team, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria, Sassari, Italy
  • Paola Altrudo Swab Team, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria, Sassari, Italy
  • Domenico Delogu Swab Team, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria, Sassari, Italy
  • Ignazio Dettori Swab Team, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria, Sassari, Italy
  • Francesco Giuseppe Riu Otolaryngology Division, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria, Sassari, Italy
  • Flavia Angioj Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria, Sassari, Italy
  • Laura Firino Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria, Sassari, Italy
  • Rosalba Govoni Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria, Sassari, Italy
  • Gabriele Ibba Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria, Sassari, Italy
  • Vincenzo Lai Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria, Sassari, Italy
  • Erica Mura Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria, Sassari, Italy
  • Bianca Paglietti Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria, Sassari, Italy
  • Claudia Piu Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria, Sassari, Italy
  • Anna Puggioni Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria, Sassari, Italy
  • Elena Rimini Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria, Sassari, Italy
  • Giulia Rocca Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria, Sassari, Italy
  • Caterina Serra Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
  • Sergio Uzzau Swab Team, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria, Sassari, Italy
  • Salvatore Rubino Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy, Swab Team, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria, Sassari, Italy, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria, Sassari, Italy
  • Giovanni Sotgiu Clinical Epidemiology and Medical Statistics Unit, Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3855/jidc.15067
Keywords: Nasopharyngeal swab, COVID-19, Healthcare workers, SARS-COV-2, Preventive measure

Abstract

Introduction: To analyze the virus spread among Sassari Hospital staff in the first Covid-19 wave and the impact of the Swab Team, a multidisciplinary task force entitled of nasopharyngeal swab collection and testing.

Methodology: Nasopharyngeal swabs from HCWs between March 6 and May 28 2020 are evaluated.

Results: 4919 SARS-CoV-2 tests were performed on 3521 operators. Nurses and doctors are the categories at highest risk. After the Swab Team institution, the average number of swabs raised from 47/day to 86/day (p = 0.007). Positive samples decreased from 18.6% to 1.7% (p < 0.0001).

Conclusions: The Swab Team is effective in increasing the cases tested and in reducing the reporting time. Procedure standardization reduces the risk for all the subjects involved (no transmission among swab team members, nor during the sample collection).

Published
2021-11-30
How to Cite
1.
Bussu F, Rizzo D, Saderi L, Piras A, De Luca LM, De Riu G, Vaira LA, Serra A, Altrudo P, Delogu D, Dettori I, Riu FG, Angioj F, Firino L, Govoni R, Ibba G, Lai V, Mura E, Paglietti B, Piu C, Puggioni A, Rimini E, Rocca G, Serra C, Uzzau S, Rubino S, Sotgiu G (2021) “Swab Team” in the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak containment among healthcare workers. J Infect Dev Ctries 15:1640-1645. doi: 10.3855/jidc.15067
Issue
Vol 15 No 11: November 2021
Section
Coronavirus Pandemic

Copyright (c) 2021 Francesco Bussu, Davide Rizzo, Laura Saderi, Antonio Piras, Laura Maria De Luca, Giacomo De Riu, Luigi Angelo Vaira, Antonello Serra, Paola Altrudo, Domenico Delogu, Ignazio Dettori, Francesco Riu, Flavia Angioj, Laura Firino, Rosalba Govoni, Gabriele Ibba, Vincenzo Lai, Erica Mura, Bianca Paglietti, Claudia Piu, Anna Puggioni, Elena Rimini, Giulia Rocca, Caterina Serra, Sergio Uzzau, Giovanni Sotgiu

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

  1. Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
  2. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
  3. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).