Effect of Occupational Exposure on A(H1N1)pdm09 Infection and Hospitalization.

OBJECTIVE To analyze relationships between occupational exposure and influenza infection and hospitalization during the 2009-2010 pandemic wave and the 2010-2011 influenza seasonal epidemic in Spain. METHODS Occupations were classified as high, medium, or low risk of influenza exposure. To assess the risk of infection, 588 outpatient cases of influenza confirmed by reverse-transcription polymerase-chain-reaction (RT-PCR) were compared with 588 outpatients without influenza symptoms. To assess the risk of hospitalization, 337 outpatient influenza cases were compared with 337 inpatient influenza cases. RESULTS The high risk of occupational exposure group was composed only of health care worke…