2026-04-14T18:18:13Zhttps://uvadoc.uva.es/oai/request

oai:uvadoc.uva.es:10324/752282025-03-04T20:01:00Zcom_10324_1179com_10324_931com_10324_894col_10324_1306

Impact of age on the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in healthcare workers Amo Merino, María Piedad Del Abadia Otero, Jesica Merino Velasco, Irene Lorenzo Fernández, Yolanda García-Cruces Méndez, Jesús Eiros Bouza, José María Dominguez-Gil González, Marta Corral Gudino, Luis Producción Científica Background The incidence of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV‑2) infection was highest among older adults early in the COVID-19 pandemic; however, this pattern was later reversed with young adults showing the highest incidence. The aim of this study was to identify risk factors in healthcare workers (HCWs) associated with this evolution. Methods We conducted a survey nested within a prospective cohort study of 680 HCWs from a tertiary referral public hospital who received 2 doses of SARS-CoV‑2 vaccine in January and February 2021 (VACCICO-VAO cohort). In October 2022 all participants were invited to participate in a survey. Risk factors were tested for association with COVID-19 ever, the number of COVID-19 episodes, and the time to the first episode. Results Among 350 respondents (51% response rate, 90% female, mean age 48.1 years), 323 COVID-19 episodes were diagnosed during the study period. Multivariable analysis revealed that age < 35 years vs. > 50 years (odds ratio, OR 2.12, 95% confidence interval, CI 1.27–3.51; P = 0.004) and not maintaining social distance at social events (OR: 1.82, 95% CI: 1.16–3.19; P = 0.011) were associated with a higher risk of COVID-19. Age < 35 years (hazard ratio, HR 1.70, 95% CI 1.14–2.54; P = 0.010), and not maintaining social distance (HR 1.34, 95% CI 1.05–1.72; P = 0.020) were also associated with the time to the first episode. Conclusions The youngest HCWs had the highest incidence rate of COVID-19, which was not explained by occupational risk factors or health conditions. The increase in nonoccupational exposure since the end of the lockdowns in summer 2020 could by a key factor. 2025-03-04T13:39:53Z 2025-03-04T13:39:53Z 2024 info:eu-repo/semantics/article Wiener klinische Wochenschrift, 2024, vol. 136, n. 15-16, p. 439-448 0043-5325 https://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/75228 10.1007/s00508-024-02346-0 439 15-16 448 Wiener klinische Wochenschrift 136 1613-7671 eng https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00508-024-02346-0 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ © 2024 The Author(s) Atribución 4.0 Internacional Springer SI