Jaime Vázquez-Moreno, Departamento de Epidemiología, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía Manuel Velasco Suárez, Ciudad de México, México
Ángela K. Rangel-Tovar, Departamento de Epidemiología, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía Manuel Velasco Suárez, Ciudad de México, México
Leora Velásquez-Pérez, Departamento de Epidemiología, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía Manuel Velasco Suárez, Ciudad de México, México
Background: COVID-19 is a disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, a highly contagious virus belonging to the Coronaviridae family. It is transmitted from person to person through the air. The clinical presentation ranges from mild to severe can be fatal. Worldwide, 10-20% of people who recover from the acute phase may continue to experience symptoms for a longer period. Objective: To estimate the prevalence of post-SARS-CoV-2 sequelae in staff of a tertiary healthcare institution, five years after the beginning of the pandemic, and to describe the types of sequelae by sex and year of onset according to the different infection episodes. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted based on self-administered surveys. The study population consisted of 179 participants. Sequelae were evaluated in relation to the different infection episodes. Results: A peak in health impact on staff was observed during 2022 (37%). 59.2% of the population presented some type of sequelae; the majority (95%) experienced some sequelae after the first episode of infection. The most prevalent sequelae were neurological and state of mind (66.4%), musculoskeletal (51.5%), and respiratory (36.6%), with a predominance in females (p ≤ 0.05). Conclusion: The obtained results are similar to those reported in previous studies. The most prevalent sequelae were neurological and persisted throughout the study period, primarily in women.
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2. COVID-19. Sequelae. Healthcare workers. Post-acute symptoms.