Influenza A (H1N1) Seropositivity in Unvaccinated Healthcare Workers
Author Information
Author(s): Kate Smith, Pamela Warner, Linda J. Williams, Walt E. Adamson, S. Vittal Katikireddi, Paul Dewart, William F. Carman, Kate Templeton, Fiona C. Denison, D. Graham Mackenzie
Primary Institution: NHS Lothian
Hypothesis
What is the level of previous exposure to influenza A (H1N1) in unvaccinated healthcare workers at the peak of the pandemic outbreak in the UK?
Conclusion
At pandemic peak, only 10.3% of healthcare workers were seropositive for influenza A (H1N1), indicating that the majority were still susceptible to infection.
Supporting Evidence
- The prevalence of seropositivity in 493 healthcare workers at pandemic peak was 10.3%.
- Seropositivity rates for frontline and non-frontline healthcare workers were similar.
- 42.2% of participants reported influenza-like symptoms in the preceding six months.
Takeaway
Only a small number of healthcare workers caught the flu during the pandemic, which means most were still at risk of getting sick.
Methodology
Cross-sectional study assessing seroprevalence and collecting questionnaire data from unvaccinated healthcare workers.
Potential Biases
Self-selection of participants may introduce bias in the results.
Limitations
The study did not recruit primary care staff and may have led to an under- or overestimation of true infection levels.
Participant Demographics
Participants were aged between 16 and 65 years, with 67% classified as frontline healthcare workers.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.048
Confidence Interval
95% CI 7.7 to 13.0%
Statistical Significance
p=0.048
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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