Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 and assessment of epidemiologic determinants in Portuguese municipal workers.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in municipal employees of Northern Portugal during the first pandemic wave (May-June 2020) and its association with potentially related risk factors for infection. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The authors assessed municipal employees of 2 cities in Northern Portugal, in whom serological tests to SARS-CoV-2 and an epidemiological survey were applied. The authors assessed the proportion of individuals presenting IgM and/or IgG antibodies to SARS-CoV-2, and evaluated the association between having positive serological test results, epidemiologic variables and clinical presentations. Reported symptoms were evaluated on their sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values. RESULTS: The authors assessed 1696 employees, of whom 22.0% were firefighters, 10.4% were police officers, 10.3% were maintenance workers, and 8.1% were administrative assistants. The seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection was 2.9% (95% CI: 2.1-3.7%). Administrative assistants comprised the professional group with highest seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 (OR = 1.9 in the comparison with other occupational groups, 95% CI: 0.8-4.3, p = 0.126). The seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection among those who were in direct contact with COVID-19 patients in their professional activity was 3.9%, compared to 2.7% among those who were not in direct contact with such patients (OR = 1.5, 95% CI: 0.8-2.8, p = 0.222). The highest risk of infection was associated with the presence of a confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection in the household (OR = 17.4, 95% CI: 8.3-36.8, p < 0.001). Living with a healthcare professional was not associated with a higher risk of infection (OR = 1.0, 95% CI: 0.4-2.5, p = 0.934). Anosmia/ dysgeusia was the symptom with the highest positive predictive value (52.2%, 95% CI: 31.8-72.6, p < 0.001) and specificity (99.3%, 95% CI: 98.9-99.7, p < 0.001), while cough was the most prevalent symptom among SARS-CoV-2 seropositive participants (36%). CONCLUSIONS: The authors observed a SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence of 2.9% among assessed municipal employees. Anosmia/dysgeusia was the COVID-19 symptom which displayed the highest positive predictive value and specificity. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2022;35(3):297-307.

Correlation study to identify the factors affecting COVID-19 case fatality rates in India.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: In India, COVID-19 case fatality rates (CFRs) have consistently been very high in states like Punjab and Maharashtra and very low in Kerala and Assam. To investigate the discrepancy in state-wise CFRs, datasets on various factors related to demography, socio-economy, public health, and healthcare capacity have been collected to study their association with CFR. METHODS: State-wise COVID-19 data was collected till April 22, 2021. The latest data on the various factors have been collected from reliable sources. Pearson correlation, two-tailed P test, Spearman rank correlation, and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) structures have been used to assess the association between various factors and CFR. RESULTS: Life expectancies, prevalence of overweight, COVID-19 test positive rates, and H1N1 fatality rates show a significant positive association with CFR. Human Development Index, per capita GDP, public affairs index, health expenditure per capita, availability of govt. doctors & hospital beds, prevalence of certain diseases, and comorbidities like diabetes and hypertension show insignificant association with CFR. Sex ratio, health expenditure as a percent of GSDP, and availability of govt. hospitals show a significant negative correlation with CFR. CONCLUSION: The study indicates that older people, males of younger age groups, and overweight people are at more fatality risk from COVID-19. Certain diseases and common comorbidities like diabetes and hypertension do not seem to have any significant effect on CFR. States with better COVID-19 testing rates, health expenditure, and healthcare capacity seem to perform better with regard to COVID-19 fatality rates.

The environment, movements, and cardiovascular risk in the COVID-19 pandemic / El ambiente, los desplazamientos y el riesgo cardiovascular en la pandemia de COVID-19

Resumen La pandemia por COVID-19 ha desencadenado un impacto tremendo en la humanidad debido a las implicaciones culturales, económicas y sociales que este tipo de infecciones ha ocasionado. Quizá preguntas iniciales, mirando en retrospectiva corta, acerca de los hechos que comenzaron esta infección, darían una luz para prevenir eventos de esta índole en el futuro. ¿Cuáles fueron las circunstancias que desencadenaron la pandemia?, ¿fue una serie de transmisiones zoonóticas que produjeron la infección en los humanos?, ¿ha tenido algo que ver el ambiente? El desafío de las grandes potencias para mantener la hegemonía, dará curso a una plétora de investigaciones acerca de la biología del virus, las variables epidemiológicas y las enfermedades crónicas de riesgo cardiovascular. En este manuscrito se analizan algunos de estos cuestionamientos.

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic has had a tremendous impact on humanity due to the cultural, financial, and social implications caused by this type of infection. Perhaps some initial questions, looking at the short-term retrospective, about the facts that started this infection, could shed some light on preventing events of this kind in the future. What were the circumstances that triggered the pandemic? Was it a series of zoonotic transmissions that produced the infection in humans? Is it something to do with the environment? The challenge of the major powers to maintain dominance, will give rise to a plethora of studies on the biology of the virus, the epidemiological variables, and the chronic diseases of cardiovascular risk. Some of these questions are analysed in this article.