The Association of Opioid Use Disorder and COVID-19, a Longitudinal Study

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) quickly spread to the world, causing a pandemic. While some studies have found no link between opioid use disorder (OUD) and COVID-19, the role of opioid on COVID-19 is challenging. The present study aimed to determine the relationship between OUD and COVID-19. Methods: This was a prospective cohort study. We used data from the third phase of the Shahroud Eye Cohort Study on 4394 participants which started in September 2019 and ended before the COVID-19 epidemic in Shahroud in February 2020. The participants were followed for about 13 months till March 26, 2021. COVID-19 was detected by RT-PCR on swap samples from the oropharynx and nasopharynx. The incidence of COVID-19 compared in OUD and non-OUD participants, and relative risk was calculated in log-binomial regression models. Results: Among the 4394 participants with a mean age of 61.1 years, 120 people had OUD. The incidence of COVID-19 in participants with OUD and non-OUD was 4.17% and 6.22%, respectively (P-value: 0356). The relative risk of OUD for COVID-19 was 0.60 (95% confidence intervals: 0.25–1.44;P value: 0.251). Conclusions: OUD was not associated with COVID-19. The claim that people with OUD are less likely to develop COVID-19 is not supported by these data.

The Association of Opioid Use Disorder and COVID-19, a Longitudinal Study.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) quickly spread to the world, causing a pandemic. While some studies have found no link between opioid use disorder (OUD) and COVID-19, the role of opioid on COVID-19 is challenging. The present study aimed to determine the relationship between OUD and COVID-19. Methods: This was a prospective cohort study. We used data from the third phase of the Shahroud Eye Cohort Study on 4394 participants which started in September 2019 and ended before the COVID-19 epidemic in Shahroud in February 2020. The participants were followed for about 13 months till March 26, 2021. COVID-19 was detected by RT-PCR on swap samples from the oropharynx and nasopharynx. The incidence of COVID-19 compared in OUD and non-OUD participants, and relative risk was calculated in log-binomial regression models. Results: Among the 4394 participants with a mean age of 61.1 years, 120 people had OUD. The incidence of COVID-19 in participants with OUD and non-OUD was 4.17% and 6.22%, respectively (P-value: 0356). The relative risk of OUD for COVID-19 was 0.60 (95% confidence intervals: 0.25-1.44; P value: 0.251). Conclusions: OUD was not associated with COVID-19. The claim that people with OUD are less likely to develop COVID-19 is not supported by these data.

The vaccination coverage rate in under-5 children in Nasiriyah, Iraq before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVES: This study compared the vaccination coverage rate (VCR) in children under 5 years old in Nasiriyah, Iraq before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the city of Nasiriyah in southeastern Iraq, with data collected from 79 primary healthcare facilities. This study evaluated the VCR in 3 periods (2018, 2019, and 2020) using multi-level random sampling. Pertinent data were extracted from the vaccination records of 598 children for Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG); pentavalent 1, 2, and 3; measles; and activated oral poliovirus vaccine 1 and 2. Missing data were completed by telephone calls to participants' parents. Logistic regression was applied to compare and estimate the odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between VCR and related factors. RESULTS: The data showed the greatest decline in the studied vaccines in 2020. Among the vaccines studied, BCG had the highest rate in all 3 periods (100% VCR) and measles had the lowest rate (83.7%), reaching 63.6% in 2020 (p<0.001). The highest OR among all types of vaccine were found for the pentavalent-3 vaccine among city dwellers and those born in 2020 (OR, 2.67; 95% CI, 1.39 to 5.10 and OR, 2.34; 95% CI, 1.28 to 4.28, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The VCR for children decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic in Iraq, and new health policies are needed to increase the coverage rate. Improving the knowledge and attitudes of parents, as well as removing barriers or risk factors, can also be effective in improving the VCR.

The risk factors of COVID-19 in 50–74 years old people: a longitudinal population-based study

To investigate the risk factors of COVID-19 infection in a longitudinal study of a population aged 50–74 years.Data were collected from Shahroud Eye Cohort study and the COVID-19 electronic registry in Shahroud, northeast Iran. Participants were followed for about 13 months and predisposing factors for COVID-19 infection were investigated using log binominal model and calculating relative risks.From the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak in Shahroud (February 20, 2020) to March 26, 2021, out of 4,394 participants in the Eye Cohort study, 271 (6.1%) were diagnosed with COVID-19 with a positive reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction test on two nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs. Risk factors for COVID-19 infection included male gender (relative risk (RR) = 1.51;95% confidence intervals (CI), 1.15–1.99), body mass index (BMI) over 25 (RR = 1.03;95% CI, 1.01–1.05), and diabetes (RR = 1.31;95% CI, 1.02–1.67). Also, smoking (RR = 0.51;95% CI, 0.28–0.93) and education (RR = 0.95;95% CI, 0.92–0.98) showed inverse associations.Men, diabetics, and those with BMI over 25 should be more cognizant and adhere to health protocols related to COVID-19 prevention and should be given priority for vaccination.

Detection of influenza epidemics using hidden Markov and Serfling approaches.

OBJECTIVE: Detection of epidemics is a critical issue in epidemiology of infectious diseases which enable healthcare system to better control it. This study is devoted to investigating the 5-year trend in influenza and severe acute respiratory infection cases in Iran. The epidemics were also detected using the hidden Markov model (HMM) and Serfling model. STUDY DESIGN: In this study, we used SARI data reported in the World Health Organization (WHO) FluNet web-based tool from August 2011 to August 2016. METHODS: SARI data in Iran from August 2011 to August 2016 were used. We applied the HMM and Serfling model for indicating the two epidemic and non-epidemic phases. The registered outbreak activity recorded on the WHO website was used as the gold standard. The coefficient of determination was reported to compare the goodness of fit of the models. RESULTS: Serfling models modified by 30% and 35% of the data had a sensitivity of 91.67% and 95.83%, while for 15%, 20% and 25% were 70.83%, 79.17% and 83.33%, respectively. Sensitivity of HMM and autoregressive HMM (AHMM) was 66.67% and 92.86%. All fitted models have a specificity of over 96%. The R2 for HMM and AHMM was calculated 0.73 and 0.85, respectively, showing better fitness of these models, while R2 was around 50% for different types of Serfling models. CONCLUSIONS: Both modified Serfling and HMM were acceptable models in determining the epidemic points for the detection of weekly SARI. The AHMM had better fitness, higher detection power and more accurate detection of the incidence of epidemics than Serfling model and high sensitivity and specificity. In addition to AHMM, Serfling models with 30% and 35% modification can be used to detect epidemics due to approximately the same accuracy but the simplicity of the calculations.

Burnout among healthcare professionals during COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study.

PURPOSE: To describe the prevalence of burnout among healthcare professionals dealing with COVID-19 patients and the associated factors. METHODS: In this cross-sectional survey, healthcare workers at six university-affiliated hospitals, who had been taking care of COVID-19 patients were studied. Age, gender, marital status, having children, hospital, job category, experience, and work load, as well as the level of burnout in each subscale were measured. RESULTS: 326 persons (53.0%) experienced high levels of burnout. The average score in emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and lack of personal accomplishment was 26.6, 10.2, and 27.3, respectively. The level of burnout in the three subscales varied based on the personal as well as work-related factors and gender was the only variable that was associated with high levels of all three domains. CONCLUSIONS: Burnout is prevalent among healthcare workers caring for COVID-19 patients. Age, gender, job category, and site of practice contribute to the level of burnout that the staff experience.

Validity of a Serological Diagnostic Kit for SARS-CoV-2 Available in Iran.

BACKGROUND: The Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) epidemic broke out in December 2019 and is now characterized as a pandemic. Effective control of this infectious disease requires access to diagnostic techniques, for both case finding and epidemic size estimation. The molecular technique is routinely used worldwide. Although it is the "standard" case detection and management method, it has its own shortcomings. Thus, some easy-to-use rapid serological tests have been developed. METHODS: One hundred and fourteen positive RT-PCR-diagnosed patients were tested by VivaDiag Kit, a brand of rapid serological kits available in hospitals affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran. Frozen serum specimens taken from healthy people in summer and fall 2019 were also tested as negative controls. RESULTS: Test sensitivity was 47.9% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 38.8-56.9) for IgM and 47.0% (95% CI: 38.0-56.0) for IgG. There was no difference between IgG and IgM seropositivity except in one case. Specificity was calculated as 99.0% (95% CI: 96.4-99.9) for IgM and of 100.0% (95% CI: 0.98.2-100.0) for IgG. Sensitivity was higher in men and older participants. CONCLUSION: This test can be used for epidemiological investigations, especially for the estimation of the level of infection in the community, after it is properly corrected for sensitivity and specificity. The low sensitivity could be attributed to the technical limitations of the kit or low levels of antibodies after infection. The different sensitivity in age and sex groups supports the hypothesis that different people show different immune responses to this virus.