Highly Infectious Flu Epidemic Among Hospital Workers Revealed: Study Highlights Risks and Importance of Vaccination

2023-10-20 15:17:55

October 20, 2023, 5:17 p.m

Last year’s flu epidemic was the most severe in many years. A study by the Würzburg University Hospital now shows that one in five hospital employees was infected – often without even noticing it.

The measures to protect against the coronavirus had also kept influenza under control for almost three years. With the end of the special rule, an early and long-lasting flu wave broke out last year. According to a new study, one in five hospital employees at the University Hospital of Würzburg was affected. The value should also apply similarly to other clinics. The new study illustrates who had a particularly high risk of infection and for whom vaccination is also worthwhile in the upcoming new influenza season.

Antibodies against influenza: 20 percent had a titer more than twice as high

As part of the CoVacSer study, over 1,700 employees at the Würzburg clinic have been regularly examined since September 2021, initially only for the coronavirus, but last year also for influenza. The researchers also carried out antibody tests on 402 participants before and after the flu season. Result: In more than one in five participating people (20.6 percent), the scientists found at least twice as many antibodies against the flu pathogen Influenza-A in spring 2023 as in summer 2022, i.e. before the season.

The scientists only looked for antibodies that arise from the infection, but not from the vaccination. Only some of these people who were proven to be infected were aware of the infection. According to the researchers, there was also a part who could not remember any symptoms or complaints.

Flu vaccination: Only 20 percent protection against infection

When it came to the risk of infection, it was found that the older the person examined was and the more patient contact they had, the higher their risk of becoming infected. A vaccination against the flu, on the other hand, could only reduce the probability of infection by around 20 percent. “Nevertheless, we assume that, in addition to reducing the infection rate, a vaccination also protects against severe courses and also minimizes the risk of transmission,” says Manuel Krone, head of the Central Facility for Health Hygiene in Würzburg and one of the authors of the study, which was published in the Journal of Infection appeared.

Krone sees a generally high risk of flu for health workers. “According to our evaluations, a high proportion of health care workers have become infected with influenza A. This is particularly true in patient care. These employees will potentially also become infected with influenza A in the season that is just beginning.” Therefore, protective measures are important.