Low risk of nosocomial severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 infection in patients with liver disease admitted to a hepatology unit at an academic hospital: A single-center experience

Abstract

Background Patients with liver disease may be at increased risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection due to immune dysfunction. However, the risk of nosocomial SARS-CoV-2 infection in these patients remains unknown. This study aimed to determine whether patients with liver disease are at an increased risk of nosocomial transmission of SARS-CoV-2 infection upon admission to the hospital for diagnostic or therapeutic procedures. Methods The study prospectively enrolled 143 patients who were admitted at least once to the hepatology unit at our hospital; 95 patients (66%) were admitted at least twice during the study period. History of past symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 exposure was assessed on the day before hospital admission via an interview. Patients were evaluated for active SARS-CoV-2 infection via real-time reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) performed on nasopharyngeal swabs and tests for serum anti-SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulin M (IgM) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies. Results None of the patients enrolled tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection by RT-PCR at the first or the second clinical evaluation. One patient who had previously received a liver transplant and who had a history of symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection that occurred 4 months before hospital admission tested positive for anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG but not IgM antibodies at each of the two hospital admissions. Conclusions The results of our study suggest that patients with liver disease are at no increased risk of nosocomial SARS-CoV-2 infection. These data support the policy of maintaining clinical hospital checks that will be necessary until or possibly even after the completion of the current SARS-CoV-2 vaccination campaign.

Editorial commentary on the Indian Journal of Gastroenterology—May–June 2022

“…Low risk of nosocomial SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with liver disease admitted to a hepatology unit at an academic hospital: A single-center Chronic liver diseases can have an adverse effect on the clinical outcomes of patients with corona virus disease 19 . In this issue of the Indian Journal of Gastroenterology, Toniutto and colleagues from Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Integrata, Udine, Italy, report a study aimed at determining if patients with chronic liver disease are at higher risk of nosocomial transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection [18]. They prospectively enrolled 143 patients with chronic liver disease, admitted at least once to the hepatology unit, 95 of whom were admitted at least twice during the study period.…”