{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,11]],"date-time":"2025-11-11T13:40:39Z","timestamp":1762868439421,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":29,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,3,4]],"date-time":"2021-03-04T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1614816000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Pediatric Reports"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic now represents a major threat to public health. Health care workers (HCW) are exposed to biological risk. Little is currently known about the risk of HCW operating in pediatric wards for SARS-CoV-2 infection. The aim is to assess the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in HCW in a third-level children\u2019s hospital in Southern Italy. An observational cohort study of all asymptomatic HCW (physician, technicians, nurses, and logistic and support operators) was conducted. HCW were screened, on a voluntary basis, for SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR on nasopharyngeal swab performed during the first wave of COVID-19. The study was then repeated, with the same modalities, at a 7-month interval, during the \u201csecond wave\u201d of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the initial screening between 7 and 24 April 2020, 525 HCW were tested. None of them tested positive. At the repeated screening, conducted between 9 and 20 November 2020, 627 HCW were tested, including 61 additional ones resulting from COVID-emergency recruitment. At this second screening, eight subjects (1.3%) tested positive, thus being diagnosed as asymptomatic carriers of SARS-CoV-2. They were one physician, five nurses, and two HCW from the logistic\/support services. They were employed in eight different wards\/services. In all cases, the epidemiological investigation showed convincing evidence that the infection was acquired through social contacts. The study revealed a very low circulation of SARS-CoV-2 infection in HCW tested with RT-PCR. All the infections documented in the second wave of epidemic of SARS-CoV-2 were acquired outside of the workplace, confirming that in a pediatric hospital setting, HCW education, correct use of personal protective equipment, and separation of the COVID-patient pathway and staff flow may minimize the risk derived from occupational exposure.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/pediatric13010017","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,3,5]],"date-time":"2021-03-05T00:39:07Z","timestamp":1614904747000},"page":"118-124","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["Effectiveness of Preventive Measures in Keeping Low Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Health Care Workers in a Referral Children\u2019s Hospital in Southern Italy"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"13","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5716-3703","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"D\u00e9sir\u00e9e","family":"Caselli","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Giovanni XXIII Children Hospital, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Consorziale Policlinico, 70126 Bari, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2057-9745","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Daniela","family":"Loconsole","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology-Hygiene Section, University of Bari, 70120 Bari, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Rita","family":"Dario","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"COVID Emergency Task Force, Giovanni XXIII Children Hospital, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Consorziale Policlinico, 70126 Bari, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1043-1256","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Maria","family":"Chironna","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology-Hygiene Section, University of Bari, 70120 Bari, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1908-6671","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Maurizio","family":"Aric\u00f2","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"COVID Emergency Task Force, Giovanni XXIII Children Hospital, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Consorziale Policlinico, 70126 Bari, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,3,4]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"World Health Organization (2020, July 28). Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Situation Report\u2014148. Available online: https:\/\/www.who.int\/docs\/default-source\/coronaviruse\/situation-reports\/20200616-covid-19-sitrep-148-draft.pdf?sfvrsn=9b2015e9_2."},{"key":"ref_2","unstructured":"Istituto Superiore di Sanit\u00e0 (2021, February 04). Task force COVID-19 del Dipartimento Malattie Infettive e Servizio di Informatica. Available online: https:\/\/www.epicentro.iss.it\/coronavirus\/sars-cov-2-dashboard."},{"key":"ref_3","unstructured":"(2020, July 28). Epidemia COVID-19\u2014Bollettino Epidemiologico Regione Puglia. Available online: https:\/\/www.regione.puglia.it\/documents\/65725\/216593\/Bollettino+Covid_01062020.pdf\/3270ea89-84b0-7780-0ece-026887fc48fd?t=1591012371804."},{"key":"ref_4","unstructured":"(2021, February 05). Epidemiological Bulletin Apulia Region. Available online: https:\/\/www.regione.puglia.it\/web\/press-regione\/-\/bollettino-epidemiologico-regione-puglia-4-febbraio-2021?redirect=%2F."},{"key":"ref_5","unstructured":"Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2021, February 05). Healthcare Workers: Information on COVID-19, Available online: https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/coronavirus\/2019-nCoV\/hcp\/index.html."},{"key":"ref_6","unstructured":"Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2021, February 05). Interim U.S. Guidance for Risk Assessment and Work Restrictions for Healthcare Personnel with Potential Exposure to SARS-CoV-2, Available online: https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/coronavirus\/2019-ncov\/hcp\/guidance-risk-assesment-hcp.html."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e29","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jinf.2020.09.035","article-title":"Screening for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among healthcare workers in a university hospital in southern France","volume":"82","author":"DiMeglio","year":"2021","journal-title":"J. Infect."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1137","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(20)30607-3","article-title":"First known person-to-person transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV-2) in the USA","volume":"395","author":"Ghinai","year":"2020","journal-title":"Lancet"},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"w20257","DOI":"10.4414\/smw.2020.20257","article-title":"Transmission risk of SARS-CoV-2 to healthcare workers \u2013observational results of a primary care hospital contact tracing","volume":"150","author":"Canova","year":"2020","journal-title":"Swiss Med Wkly."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"766","DOI":"10.7326\/L20-0175","article-title":"COVID-19 and the Risk to Health Care Workers: A Case Report","volume":"172","author":"Ng","year":"2020","journal-title":"Ann. Intern. Med."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1061","DOI":"10.1001\/jama.2020.1585","article-title":"Clinical Characteristics of 138 Hospitalized Patients With 2019 Novel Coronavirus\u2013Infected Pneumonia in Wuhan, China","volume":"323","author":"Wang","year":"2020","journal-title":"JAMA"},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"155","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cmi.2020.08.009","article-title":"Proactive screening approach for SARS-CoV-2 among healthcare workers","volume":"27","author":"Oster","year":"2021","journal-title":"Clin. Microbiol. Infect."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"422","DOI":"10.15585\/mmwr.mm6914e4","article-title":"Coronavirus Disease 2019 in Children\u2014United States, February 12\u2013April 2, 2020","volume":"69","author":"Bialek","year":"2020","journal-title":"MMWR. Morb. Mortal. Wkly. Rep."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"120","DOI":"10.7326\/M20-1632","article-title":"Epidemiology of and Risk Factors for Coronavirus Infection in Health Care Workers","volume":"173","author":"Chou","year":"2020","journal-title":"Ann. Intern. Med."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"W18","DOI":"10.7326\/L20-1323","article-title":"Update Alert 6: Epidemiology of and Risk Factors for Coronavirus Infection in Health Care Workers","volume":"174","author":"Chou","year":"2021","journal-title":"Ann. Intern. Med."},{"key":"ref_16","unstructured":"(2021, February 05). Decreto Legge n.18 del 17 Marzo 2020, Decreto del Presidente del Consiglio dei Ministri 26 aprile 2020, Decreto del Presidente del Consiglio dei Ministri n.41 del 3 Novembre 2020, Available online: http:\/\/www.governo.it\/it\/coronavirus-normativa."},{"key":"ref_17","unstructured":"(2021, February 05). Ministry of Health 0032850-12\/10\/2020-DGPRE-DGPRE-P, Available online: http:\/\/www.salute.gov.it\/portale\/home.html."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"882","DOI":"10.1001\/jamapediatrics.2020.1467","article-title":"Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Infection in Children and Adolescents","volume":"174","author":"Castagnoli","year":"2020","journal-title":"JAMA Pediatr."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1088","DOI":"10.1111\/apa.15270","article-title":"Systematic review of COVID-19 in children shows milder cases and a better prognosis than adults","volume":"109","author":"Ludvigsson","year":"2020","journal-title":"Acta Paediatr."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.4081\/pr.2020.8495","article-title":"2019-nCoV: Polite with Children!","volume":"12","author":"Caselli","year":"2020","journal-title":"Pediatr. Rep."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Loconsole, D., Caselli, D., Centrone, F., Morcavallo, C., Campanella, S., Aric\u00f2, M., and Chironna, M. (2020). SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Children in Southern Italy: A Descriptive Case Series. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 17.","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph17176080"},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1017\/ice.2020.361","article-title":"Jacques SARS-CoV-2 screening of asymptomatic healthcare workers","volume":"41","author":"Jameson","year":"2020","journal-title":"Infect. Control. Hosp. Epidemiol."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1762","DOI":"10.15585\/mmwr.mm6947a2","article-title":"Decline in SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies After Mild Infection Among Frontline Health Care Personnel in a Multistate Hospital Network\u201412 States, April\u2013August 2020","volume":"69","author":"Self","year":"2020","journal-title":"MMWR. Morb. Mortal. Wkly. Rep."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2155","DOI":"10.1001\/jama.2020.21399","article-title":"Hospital-Acquired SARS-CoV-2 Infection","volume":"324","author":"Richterman","year":"2020","journal-title":"JAMA"},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"43","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jcot.2020.12.019","article-title":"Hospital transmission rates of the SARS-CoV 2 disease amongst orthopaedic in-patients in a secondary care centre: A quantitative review","volume":"16","author":"Holmes","year":"2021","journal-title":"J. Clin. Orthop. Trauma"},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"533","DOI":"10.1056\/NEJMoa2034545","article-title":"Antibody Status and Incidence of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Health Care Workers","volume":"384","author":"Lumley","year":"2021","journal-title":"N. Engl. J. Med."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Varona, J.F., Madurga, R., Pe\u00f1alver, F., Abarca, E., Almirall, C., Cruz, M., Ramos, E., and V\u00e1zquez, J.M.C. (2021). Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in over 6000 healthcare workers in Spain. Int. J. Epidemiol.","DOI":"10.1093\/ije\/dyaa277"},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"631","DOI":"10.1007\/s15010-020-01461-0","article-title":"Perceived versus proven SARS-CoV-2-specific immune responses in health-care professionals","volume":"48","author":"Behrens","year":"2020","journal-title":"Infection"},{"key":"ref_29","first-page":"381","article-title":"Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among physicians from a children\u2019s hospital","volume":"118","author":"Stedile","year":"2020","journal-title":"Arch. Argent. Pediatr."}],"container-title":["Pediatric Reports"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2036-7503\/13\/1\/17\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T05:32:43Z","timestamp":1760160763000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2036-7503\/13\/1\/17"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2021,3,4]]},"references-count":29,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,3]]}},"alternative-id":["pediatric13010017"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/pediatric13010017","relation":{},"ISSN":["2036-7503"],"issn-type":[{"type":"electronic","value":"2036-7503"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2021,3,4]]}}}