517 CYTOMEGALOVIRUS (CMV) INFECTION IN PEDIATRIC HOUSE OFFICERS: SUSCEPTIBILITY AND RISK OF PRIMARY INFECTION

Abstract

Health-care workers in their child-bearing years are concerned about the risk of acquiring CMV from infected patients. Pediatric house officers are a particularly vulnerable group since their training requires significant contact with large numbers of children who are excreting virus. We studied 213 pediatric house officers (110 male and 103 female) during a 3 year period. The average age was 27.1 years (range 23-40 years). Initial serology (ACIF and ELISA) revealed 144 (69%) to be nonimmune. Race (white 143/196 seronegative vs nonwhite 4/17 seronegative, p <.001) and place of birth (U.S. 111/153 seronegative vs non-U.S. 6/15 seronegative, p=.008) were significantly associated with susceptibility. Sex, level of training and marital status were not significantly different for those initially seropositive or seronegative. CMV seronegative house officers (122) were followed for 183 person years. Seven individuals seroconverted (3.8% seroconversions per year). Twenty-one seronegative house officers were followed for their entire 3 year residency. Two individuals seroconverted (9.5% seroconversions per residency). Prevalence studies in various areas of our hospital showed that 1% to 15% of hospitalized children were excreting CMV during the study period. Susceptible house officers have a significant risk (9.5% per residency) of acquiring CMV infection, but the source of the infection cannot be determined by our data.

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