Profil épidémiologique et clinique de la COVID-19 chez le personnel de santé de l’Hôpital Aziza Othmana, Tunis, Tunisie

Introduction: Since the start of the Coronavirus Infectious Disease (COVID-19) pandemic, healthcare workers (HCW) are on the front line. They represent an important population with higher risk of acquiring infection and subsequently, exposing patients and all their close contact to the virus. However, up to now, few studies were published about this subject with controversial results, particularly, about specificities of infection for this risk group. Objectives of this study were to describe epidemiological and clinical profiles of COVID-19 among health personnel at Aziza Othmana Hospital (Northern Tunisia), to identify risk factors of transmission and to estimate the reinfection rate. Methods: This retrospective study was performed during23months (from September 2020 to July 2022); it included all suspected cases of COVID-19 among healthcare personnel working in the hospital. Diagnostic was confirmed by molecular method or by rapid antigen test on nasopharyngeal swabs. Chest Computed Tomography (CT) was used for highly suspicious cases with negative virological diagnostic. Results: A total of 1483 nasopharyngeal samples were investigated; confirmation of the infection was obtained in 412 cases, chest CT scan was used only for two cases. The mean age of the patients was 41 years and the sex ratio 0,19. Comorbidities were observed in 26,5% of cases; it was hypertension (37cases), diabetes (27cases) and asthma (17cases). Obesity was found in 5 cases. The most affected were paramedical agents (45%, n=185) and particularly nurses (52,9%, n=98) working if inpatient units (52%, n=214). Symptoms were described in 98,8% of cases; the average time between symptom and diagnosis was three days. The most frequent clinical signs were myalgia-aches(62,7%), cough (56,5%), headaches (49,6%), fever (46,9%) and asthenia (35,1%). Hospitalisation was