Last data update: Jun 03, 2024. (Total: 46935 publications since 2009)
Records 1-3 (of 3 Records) |
Query Trace: Ahrenholz SH [original query] |
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Healthcare personnel exposure in an emergency department during influenza season
Rule AM , Apau O , Ahrenholz SH , Brueck SE , Lindsley WG , de Perio MA , Noti JD , Shaffer RE , Rothman R , Grigorovitch A , Noorbakhsh B , Beezhold DH , Yorio PL , Perl TM , Fisher EM . PLoS One 2018 13 (8) e0203223 INTRODUCTION: Healthcare personnel are at high risk for exposure to influenza by direct and indirect contact, droplets and aerosols, and by aerosol generating procedures. Information on air and surface influenza contamination is needed to assist in developing guidance for proper prevention and control strategies. To understand the vulnerabilities of healthcare personnel, we measured influenza in the breathing zone of healthcare personnel, in air and on surfaces within a healthcare setting, and on filtering facepiece respirators worn by healthcare personnel when conducting patient care. METHODS: Thirty participants were recruited from an adult emergency department during the 2015 influenza season. Participants wore personal bioaerosol samplers for six hours of their work shift, submitted used filtering facepiece respirators and medical masks and completed questionnaires to assess frequency and types of interactions with potentially infected patients. Room air samples were collected using bioaerosol samplers, and surface swabs were collected from high-contact surfaces within the adult emergency department. Personal and room bioaerosol samples, surface swabs, and filtering facepiece respirators were analyzed for influenza A by polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Influenza was identified in 42% (53/125) of personal bioaerosol samples, 43% (28/ 96) of room bioaerosol samples, 76% (23/30) of pooled surface samples, and 25% (3/12) of the filtering facepiece respirators analyzed. Influenza copy numbers were greater in personal bioaerosol samples (17 to 631 copies) compared to room bioaerosol samples (16 to 323 copies). Regression analysis suggested that the amount of influenza in personal samples was approximately 2.3 times the amount in room samples (Wald chi2 = 16.21, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Healthcare personnel may encounter increased concentrations of influenza virus when in close proximity to patients. Occupations that require contact with patients are at an increased risk for influenza exposure, which may occur throughout the influenza season. Filtering facepiece respirators may become contaminated with influenza when used during patient care. |
Assessment of environmental and surgical mask contamination at a student health center - 2012-2013 influenza season
Ahrenholz SH , Brueck SE , Rule AM , Noti JD , Noorbakhs B , Blachere FM , de Perio MA , Lindsley WG , Shaffer RE , Fisher EM . J Occup Environ Hyg 2018 15 (9) 1-30 Increased understanding of influenza transmission is critical for pandemic planning and selecting appropriate controls for healthcare personnel safety and health. The goals of this pilot study were to assess environmental contamination in different areas and at two time periods in the influenza season and to determine the feasibility of using surgical mask contamination to evaluate potential exposure to influenza virus. Bioaerosol samples were collected over 12 days (two 6-day sessions) at 12 locations within a student health center using portable two-stage bioaerosol samplers operating 8 hours each day. Surface samples were collected each morning and afternoon from common high-contact non-porous hard surfaces from rooms and locations where bioaerosol samplers were located. Surgical masks worn by participants while in contact with patients with influenza-like illness were collected. A questionnaire administered to each of the 12 participants at the end of each workday and another at the end of each workweek assessed influenza-like illness symptoms, estimated the number of influenza-like illness patient contacts, hand hygiene, and surgical mask usage. All samples were analyzed using qPCR. Over the 12 days of the study, three of the 127 (2.4%) bioaerosol samples, two of 483 (0.41%) surface samples, and zero of 54 surgical masks were positive for influenza virus. For the duration of contact that occurred with an influenza patient on any of the 12 days, nurse practitioners and physicians reported contacts with influenza-like illness patients > 60 minutes, medical assistants reported 15-44 minutes, and administrative staff reported < 30 minutes. Given the limited number of bioaerosol and surface samples positive for influenza virus in the bioaerosol and surface samples, the absence of influenza virus on the surgical masks provides inconclusive evidence for the potential to use surgical masks to assess exposure to influenza viruses. Further studies are needed to determine feasibility of this approach in assessing healthcare personnel exposures. Information learned in this study can inform future field studies on influenza transmission. |
Deepwater Horizon response workers exposure assessment at the source: MC252 well no. 1
Ahrenholz SH , Sylvain DC . J Occup Environ Hyg 2011 8 (6) 43-50 The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) conducted a health hazard evaluation (HHE) of Deepwater Horizon Response workers in response to a request submitted by BP management on May 28, 2010. The NIOSH HHE addressed numerous potential worker exposures on land; at the land-water interface; and with a variety of vessels carrying out oil release response activities on, in, and beneath the waters of the Gulf of Mexico.( Citation1 ) This case study reports the NIOSH worker exposure assessment completed for workers aboard two main vessels working to contain, control, and ultimately stop the release of oil into the Gulf of Mexico from the damaged blow out preventer (BOP) at the site of the Deepwater Horizon Mississippi Canyon (MC) 252 Well No. 1 oil release. This assessment was part of a series of requests from BP concerning workers involved in the response. NIOSH evaluated exposures of workers closest to the oil release, at the source, on June 21–23, 2010. |
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