8291642 An incident analysis of varicella cases in a tertiary hospital in Thailand

<h3>Objective</h3> To analyze the burden associated with an incident involving varicella infections among healthcare workers (HCWs) in a tertiary hospital in northeastern Thailand, and to assess the operational and economic implications within a hospital setting. <h3>Material and Methods</h3> This descriptive report examined confirmed varicella cases among HCWs documented by occupational health and infection control units. Key metrics included number of cases, sick leave days, close contacts, and impact on hospital operations. Burden was evaluated using attack rate, workdays lost, estimated productivity loss, and Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs), based on Global Burden of Disease parameters. <h3>Results</h3> Seven HCWs were diagnosed with varicella in 2025 among a total workforce of 2,980, resulting in an attack rate of 0.23%. Each case led to an average of 10 sick leave days, totaling 70 lost workdays. The estimated productivity loss was 105,000 THB. The total DALYs were estimated at 0.01 using a disability weight of 0.051. Additionally, 75 staff and 60 hospitalized patients were identified as close contacts, requiring multiple rounds of health monitoring and risk communication. Although no secondary cases occurred, the event placed a significant burden on occupational health resources and posed a potential risk of nosocomial transmission. <h3>Conclusion</h3> Even a limited number of varicella cases can generate measurable disruptions in hospital operations. The incident highlights the importance of routine immunity screening, targeted staff vaccination, and preparedness protocols to reduce institutional vulnerability to infectious disease incidents. <h3>Funding and Acknowledgements</h3> No external funding was received. The authors thank Roi Et Hospital’s occupational health and infection control teams for their support.