[Epidemiology of mental well-being in childhood and adolescence. Results from three epidemiological studies before and during the COVID-19 pandemic]. / Epidemiologie seelischen Wohlbefindens von Kindern und Jugendlichen in Deutschland. Ergebnisse aus 3 Studien vor und während der COVID-19-Pandemie.

BACKGROUND: Continuous nationwide health monitoring is important to track the well-being of children and adolescents and to map developmental trajectories. Based on the results of three selected epidemiological studies, developments in child well-being over the past 20 years are presented. METHODS: Data are based on (1) the mental health module of the German National Health Interview and Examination Survey among Children and Adolescents (BELLA study, 2003-2017, N = 1500 to 3000), which is a module of the KiGGS study; (2) the COvid-19 and PSYchological Health Study (COPSY, 2020-2022, N = 1600-1700), which is based on the BELLA Study; and (3) the International Health-Behaviour in School-aged Children Study (HBSC, 2002-2018, N = 4300-7300). Well-being was assessed in 7­ to 17-year-olds using indicators of health-related quality of life (KIDSCREEN-10), life satisfaction (Cantril Ladder), and mental health problems (Strenghts and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED), and Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for Children (CES-DC)). RESULTS: Overall, children and adolescents show consistently high health-related quality of life and high overall life satisfaction pre-pandemic (2002-2018), which initially worsened with the onset of the 2020 COVID-19-pandemic. Two years later, improvements are evident but have not yet reached baseline levels. Psychological problems, as well as symptoms of anxiety and depression, increased by up to 12 percentage points at the beginning of the pandemic and are still higher two years after the onset of the pandemic compared to pre-pandemic studies. CONCLUSION: The epidemiology of child well-being provides a necessary data basis to assess the support needs of children and adolescents and to use this as a basis for developing measures of health promotion, prevention, and intervention.

The Importance of Being FAIR and FAST - The Clinical Epidemiology and Study Platform of the German Network University Medicine (NUKLEUS).

The COVID-19 pandemic has urged the need to set up, conduct and analyze high-quality epidemiological studies within a very short time-scale to provide timely evidence on influential factors on the pandemic, e.g. COVID-19 severity and disease course. The comprehensive research infrastructure developed to run the German National Pandemic Cohort Network within the Network University Medicine is now maintained within a generic clinical epidemiology and study platform NUKLEUS. It is operated and subsequently extended to allow efficient joint planning, execution and evaluation of clinical and clinical-epidemiological studies. We aim to provide high-quality biomedical data and biospecimens and make its results widely available to the scientific community by implementing findability, accessibility, interoperability and reusability - i.e. following the FAIR guiding principles. Thus, NUKLEUS might serve as role model for FAIR and fast implementation of clinical epidemiological studies within the setting of University Medical Centers and beyond.

Epidemiological study of unusual rotavirus strains and molecular characterization of emerging P[14] strains isolated from children with acute gastroenteritis during a 15-year period.

Rotavirus group A (RVA) is characterized by molecular and epidemiological diversity. To date, 42 G and 58 P RVA genotypes have been identified, some of which, like P[14], have a zoonotic origin. In this study, we describe the epidemiology of unusual RVA genotypes and the molecular characteristics of P[14] strains. Fecal samples from children ≤ 16 years of age with acute gastroenteritis (AGE) who were hospitalized during 2007-2021 in Greece were tested for RVA by immunochromatography. Positive RVA samples were G and P genotyped, and part of the VP7 and VP4 genes were sequenced by the Sanger method. Epidemiological data were also recorded. Phylogenetic analysis of P[14] was performed using MEGA 11 software. Sixty-two (1.4%) out of 4427 children with RVA AGE were infected with an unusual G (G6/G8/G10) or P (P[6]/P[9]/P[10]/P[11]/P[14]) genotype. Their median (IQR) age was 18.7 (37.3) months, and 67.7% (42/62) were males. None of the children were vaccinated against RVA. P[9] (28/62; 45.2%) was the most common unusual genotype, followed by P[14] (12/62; 19.4%). In the last two years, during the period of the COVID-19 pandemic, an emergence of P[14] was observed (5/12, 41.6%) after an 8-year absence. The highest prevalence of P[14] infection was seen in the spring (91.7%). The combinations G8P[14] (41.7%), G6P[14] (41.7%), and G4P[14] (16.6%) were also detected. Phylogenetic analysis showed a potential evolutionary relationship of three human RVA P[14] strains to a fox strain from Croatia. These findings suggest a possible zoonotic origin of P[14] and interspecies transmission between nondomestic animals and humans, which may lead to new RVA genotypes with unknown severity.

Large-scale, national, family-based epidemiological study on Helicobacter pylori infection in China: the time to change practice for related disease prevention.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Current practice on Helicobacter pylori infection mostly focuses on individual-based care in the community, but family-based H. pylori management has recently been suggested as a better strategy for infection control. However, the family-based H. pylori infection status, risk factors and transmission pattern remain to be elucidated. METHODS: From September 2021 to December 2021, 10 735 families (31 098 individuals) were enrolled from 29 of 31 provinces in mainland China to examine family-based H. pylori infection, related factors and transmission pattern. All family members were required to answer questionnaires and test for H. pylori infection. RESULTS: Among all participants, the average individual-based H. pylori infection rate was 40.66%, with 43.45% for adults and 20.55% for children and adolescents. Family-based infection rates ranged from 50.27% to 85.06% among the 29 provinces, with an average rate of 71.21%. In 28.87% (3099/10 735) of enrolled families, there were no infections; the remaining 71.13% (7636/10 735) of families had 1-7 infected members, and in 19.70% (1504/7636), all members were infected. Among 7961 enrolled couples, 33.21% had no infection, but in 22.99%, both were infected. Childhood infection was significantly associated with parental infection. Independent risk factors for household infection were infected family members (eg, five infected members: OR 2.72, 95% CI 1.86 to 4.00), living in highly infected areas (eg, northwest China: OR 1.83, 95% CI 1.57 to 2.13), and large families in a household (eg, family of three: OR 1.97, 95% CI 1.76 to 2.21). However, family members with higher education and income levels (OR 0.85, 95% CI 0.79 to 0.91), using serving spoons or chopsticks, more generations in a household (eg, three generations: OR 0.79, 95% CI 0.68 to 0.92), and who were younger (OR 0.57, 95% CI 0.46 to 0.70) had lower infection rates (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Familial H. pylori infection rate is high in general household in China. Exposure to infected family members is likely the major source of its spread. These results provide supporting evidence for the strategic changes from H. pylori individual-based treatment to family-based management, and the notion has important clinical and public health implications for infection control and related disease prevention.

Fracture incidence and fracture-related mortality decreased with decreases in population mobility during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic: an epidemiological study.

INTRODUCTION: We investigated the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) social distancing measures on fracture incidence and fracture-related mortality, as well as associations with population mobility. METHODS: In total, 47 186 fractures were analysed across 43 public hospitals from 22 November 2016 to 26 March 2020. Considering the smartphone penetration of 91.5% in the study population, population mobility was quantified using Apple Inc's Mobility Trends Report, an index of internet location services usage volume. Fracture incidences were compared between the first 62 days of social distancing measures and corresponding preceding epochs. Primary outcomes were associations between fracture incidence and population mobility, quantified by incidence rate ratios (IRRs). Secondary outcomes included fracture-related mortality rate (death within 30 days of fracture) and associations between emergency orthopaedic healthcare demand and population mobility. RESULTS: Overall, 1748 fewer fractures than projected were observed during the first 62 days of COVID-19 social distancing (fracture incidence: 321.9 vs 459.1 per 100 000 person-years, P<0.001); the relative risk was 0.690, compared with mean incidences during the same period in the previous 3 years. Population mobility exhibited significant associations with fracture incidence (IRR=1.0055, P<0.001), fracture-related emergency department attendances (IRR=1.0076, P<0.001), hospital admissions (IRR=1.0054, P<0.001), and subsequent surgery (IRR=1.0041, P<0.001). Fracture-related mortality decreased from 4.70 (in prior years) to 3.22 deaths per 100 000 person-years during the COVID-19 social distancing period (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Fracture incidence and fracture-related mortality decreased during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic; they demonstrated significant temporal associations with daily population mobility, presumably as a collateral effect of social distancing measures.

Geotechnologies applied in epidemiological studies on cases of covid-19: a narrative review / Geotecnologias aplicadas em estudos epidemiológicos sobre os casos de covid-19: revisão narrativa / Geotecnologías aplicadas en estudios epidemiológicos sobre casos de covid-19: revisión narrativa

Background and objectives: the applied geotechnologies are essential in helping the development of epidemiological studies that aim to identify and distribute health events in specific populations and territories, in addition to verifying the factors that influence the occurrence of these events, intending to apply the evidence in strategies of disease planning and control as in the covid-19 pandemic. This study aimed to present the scientific evidence that has been produced on geotechnologies applied in epidemiological studies on cases of covid-19. Methods: this is a descriptive narrative literature review (NLR). To guide the study, the following research question was elaborated: what has been studied about applied geotechnologies in epidemiological research on covid-19 cases? The search was carried out in October 2021, using the descriptors Geographic Information Systems AND Covid-19 OR SARS-CoV-2 AND Epidemiology AND Spatial Analysis, in Virtual Health Library, Scopus, Web of Science, Portal CAPES. Complementarily, a search was carried out for epidemiological bulletins and booklets on the Brazilian Ministry of Health website. Results: nineteen sources of information were selected that fit the objectives for the discussion construction, with three categories of analysis being listed: Geotechnology application; Information management; Challenges of epidemiological studies that use secondary data. Conclusion: geotechnology use in epidemiological studies on covid-19 in identifying areas at risk for the infection spread was such remarkable.(AU)

Justificativa e objetivos: as geotecnologias aplicadas são essenciais para auxiliar o desenvolvimento de estudos epidemiológicos que visam identificar e distribuir eventos de saúde em populações e territórios específicos, além de verificar os fatores que influenciam a ocorrência desses eventos, pretendendo aplicar as evidências em estratégias de planejamento e controle de doenças como na pandemia de covid-19. Este estudo teve como objetivo apresentar as evidências científicas que vêm sendo produzidas sobre geotecnologias aplicadas em estudos epidemiológicos de casos de covid-19. Métodos: trata-se de uma revisão de literatura narrativa descritiva (NLR). Para nortear o estudo, elaborou-se a seguinte questão de pesquisa: o que tem sido estudado sobre as geotecnologias aplicadas na pesquisa epidemiológica dos casos de covid-19? A busca foi realizada no mês de outubro de 2021, utilizando os descritores Geographic Information Systems AND Covid-19 OR SARS-CoV-2 AND Epidemiology AND Spatial Analysis, na Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde, Scopus, Web of Science, Portal CAPES. Complementarmente, foi realizada busca de boletins e cartilhas epidemiológicas no site do Ministério da Saúde do Brasil. Resultados: foram selecionadas dezenove fontes de informação que se enquadram nos objetivos para a construção da discussão, sendo elencadas três categorias de análise: Aplicação da geotecnologia; Gestão da informação; Desafios dos estudos epidemiológicos que utilizam dados secundários. Conclusão: o uso da geotecnologia em estudos epidemiológicos da covid-19 na identificação de áreas de risco para a propagação da infecção foi notável.(AU)

Justificación y objetivos: las geotecnologías aplicadas son esenciales para ayudar al desarrollo de estudios epidemiológicos que tengan como objetivo identificar y distribuir eventos de salud en poblaciones y territorios específicos, además de verificar los factores que influyen en la ocurrencia de estos eventos, con la intención de aplicar la evidencia en estrategias de planificación y control de enfermedades como en la pandemia de covid-19. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo presentar la evidencia científica que se ha producido sobre geotecnologías aplicadas en estudios epidemiológicos sobre casos de covid-19. Métodos: se trata de una revisión descriptiva narrativa de la literatura (NLR). Para orientar el estudio se elaboró la siguiente pregunta de investigación: ¿Qué se ha estudiado sobre geotecnologías aplicadas en la investigación epidemiológica de casos de covid-19? La búsqueda se realizó en octubre de 2021, utilizando los descriptores Sistemas de Información Geográfica Y Covid-19 O SARS-CoV-2 Y Epidemiología Y Análisis Espacial, en Biblioteca Virtual en Salud, Scopus, Web of Science, Portal CAPES. Complementariamente, se realizó una búsqueda de boletines y folletos epidemiológicos en el sitio web del Ministerio de Salud de Brasil. Resultados: fueron seleccionadas diecinueve fuentes de información que se ajustan a los objetivos para la construcción de la discusión, siendo enumeradas tres categorías de análisis: aplicación de la geotecnología; Gestión de la información; Retos de los estudios epidemiológicos que utilizan datos secundarios. Conclusión: el uso de geotecnología en estudios epidemiológicos sobre covid-19 para identificar áreas en riesgo de propagación de la infección fue tan notable.(AU)

Epidemiological profile of death resulting from Covid-19 in a municipality in southwest of Paraná / Perfil epidemiológico de óbitos decorrentes da Covid-19 em um município do sudoeste do Paraná / Perfil epidemiológico de las muertes por Covid-19 en un municipio del suroeste de Paraná

Introdução: No final do ano de 2019 surgiu na China uma doença infectocontagiosa de característica respiratória e alto grau de disseminação até então desconhecida. No Brasil o primeiro caso de Covid-19 foi confirmado no final de fevereiro de 2020 e a primeira morte em meados de março. Segundo dados da plataforma Coronavírus Brasil, em 17 de março de 2021, houve registro de 11.603.535 casos confirmados e 282.127 óbitos. Objetivo: Descrever o perfil de pessoas que morreram tendo como causa básica do óbito a Covid-19, em um município do Sudoeste do Paraná, entre os anos de 2020 e 2021. Metodologia: Trata-se de um estudo transversal, descritivo, documental de caráter quantitativo que foi realizado na prefeitura municipal de Francisco Beltrão. Resultados: Houve prevalência de óbitos em pacientes do sexo masculino, idosos, com presença de alguma comorbidade associada, sendo hipertensão a mais citada (50,8%). Os sintomas mais prevalentes foram tosse (74,4%), dispneia (56,3%) e saturação < 95% (48,3%), necessitando ainda de hospitalização em algum período da doença (94,1%), sendo os leitos de Sistema Único de Saúde os mais procurados (74,4%). Quanto à taxa de ocupação 49,6% dos casos necessitou apenas de leitos de enfermaria e 42% unidades de terapia intensiva. Discussão: Diversas pesquisas apontam que o sexo masculino é o mais acometido por condições graves de saúde, devido à demora na busca de assistência médica. No que se refere à idade, neste estudo, a prevalência de óbitos se deu entre 71 e 75 anos (15,1%) o que justifica que o envelhecimento é um fator de risco elevado para complicações da doença. Durante a análise dos dados, notou- se que grande parte dos pacientes que tiveram como desfecho o óbito, possuíam algum fator associado, dentre os mais citados, verificou-se a Hipertensão Arterial Sistêmica (50,8%) Diabetes Mellitus (24,8%), doenças cardiovasculares (23,9%) e obesidade (14,7%). No que diz respeito à hospitalização, nesse estudo notou-se que 74,4% da amostra foram hospitalizadas em leitos de SUS, 18,5% em hospitais particulares e 7,1% não possuíam essa informação. Conclusão: É possível observar a importância do estudo epidemiológico para identificar o perfil da população em risco, podendo auxiliar no planejamento do atendimento, rastreamento e controle da doença, além de conhecer a evolução da patologia, a fim de buscar ações adequadas para seu enfrentamento.

Introduction: At the end of 2019, a previously unknown infectious disease with respiratory characteristics and a high degree of dissemination emerged in China. In Brazil the first case of Covid-19 was confirmed in late February 2020 and the first death in mid-March. According to data from the Coronavirus Brazil platform, as of March 17, 2021, 11,603,535 confirmed cases and 282,127 deaths were recorded. Objective: To describe the profile of people who died with Covid-19 as the underlying cause of death in a city in southwestern Paraná between the years 2020 and 2021. Methodology: This is a cross-sectional, descriptive, documental, quantitative study carried out at the Francisco Beltrão City Hall. Results: There was a prevalence of deaths in male patients, elderly, with the presence of some associated comorbidity, hypertension being the most cited (50.8%). The most prevalent symptoms were cough (74.4%), dyspnea (56.3%) and saturation < 95% (48.3%), requiring hospitalization in some period of the disease (94.1%), and the Unified Health System beds were the most sought (74.4%). As for the occupancy rate, 49.6% of the cases required only ward beds and 42% intensive care units. Discussion: Several studies show that men are the most affected by serious health conditions, due to the delay in seeking medical assistance. Regarding age, in this study, the prevalence of deaths was between 71 and 75 years (15.1%), which justifies that aging is a high risk factor for disease complications. During data analysis, it was noted that most patients who died had some associated factor, among the most cited were systemic arterial hypertension (50.8%), diabetes mellitus (24.8%), cardiovascular diseases (23.9%) and obesity (14.7%). Regarding hospitalization, in this study it was noted that 74.4% of the sample were hospitalized in SUS beds, 18.5% in private hospitals, and 7.1% did not have this information. Conclusion: It is possible to observe the importance of the epidemiological study to identify the profile of the population at risk, which can help in planning care, tracking and control of the disease, besides knowing the evolution of the pathology in order to seek appropriate actions for its confrontation

Introducción: A finales del año 2019 apareció en China una enfermedad infecto- contagiosa de característica respiratoria y alto grado de diseminación desconocida hasta entonces. En Brasil se confirmó el primer caso de Covid-19 a finales de febrero de 2020 y la primera muerte a mediados de marzo. Según los datos de la plataforma Coronavirus Brasil, hasta el 17 de marzo de 2021, había 11.603.535 casos confirmados y 282.127 muertes. Objetivo: Describir el perfil de las personas fallecidas con Covid-19 como causa subyacente de muerte en una ciudad del sudoeste de Paraná entre los años 2020 y 2021. Metodología: Se trata de un estudio transversal, descriptivo, documental de carácter cuantitativo que se realizó en la prefectura municipal de Francisco Beltrão. Resultados: Hubo una prevalencia de muertes en pacientes masculinos, de edad avanzada, con presencia de alguna comorbilidad asociada, siendo la hipertensión la más citada (50,8%). Los síntomas más prevalentes fueron la tos (74,4%), la disnea (56,3%) y la saturación < 95% (48,3%), requiriendo hospitalización en algún periodo de la enfermedad (94,1%), siendo las camas del Sistema Único de Salud las más solicitadas (74,4%). En cuanto a la tasa de ocupación, el 49,6% de los casos sólo necesitaban camas de sala y el 42% unidades de cuidados intensivos. Discusión: Varias investigaciones señalan que el género masculino es el más afectado por las condiciones de salud graves, debido al retraso en la búsqueda de asistencia médica. En cuanto a la edad, en este estudio, la prevalencia de muertes se produjo entre los 71 y los 75 años (15,1%), lo que justifica que el envejecimiento sea un factor de riesgo elevado para las complicaciones de la enfermedad. Durante el análisis de los datos, se observó que la mayoría de los pacientes que fallecieron tenían algún factor asociado, entre los más citados estaban la Hipertensión Arterial Sistémica (50,8%), la Diabetes Mellitus (24,8%), las enfermedades cardiovasculares (23,9%) y la obesidad (14,7%). En lo que respecta a la hospitalización, en este estudio se observó que el 74,4% de la muestra estaba hospitalizada en camas del SUS, el 18,5% en hospitales privados y el 7,1% no tenía esta información. Conclusión: Es posible observar la importancia del estudio epidemiológico para identificar el perfil de la población en riesgo, pudiendo ayudar en la planificación de la atención, el rastreo y el control de la enfermedad, además de conocer la evolución de la patología, con el fin de buscar las acciones adecuadas para su enfrentamiento.

The Hong Kong youth epidemiological study of mental health (HK-YES)-A population-based psychiatric epidemiology study of youth mental health in Hong Kong: A study protocol.

AIM: Young people in Hong Kong have been facing numerous population-level events over the past year, including social unrest and the COVID-19 pandemic. Representative data concerning the mental health of youths, however, is limited. The Hong Kong Youth Epidemiological Study of Mental Health (HK-YES) is commissioned to provide the first representative prevalence estimates and correlates of mental disorders among young people in Hong Kong. It will also examine the help-seeking behaviours, treatment rates, quality of life, and functional outcomes of the young people. More importantly, the direct and indirect economic costs of mental disorders in youths will be estimated. METHODS: A total of 4500 community-dwelling participants aged 15-24 years from Hong Kong will be surveyed. Participants will be selected using a multistage stratified sampling design to provide representative estimates of the youth population in Hong Kong. All interviews will be conducted using computer-assisted personal interviewing methods for assessments covering areas of psychiatric diagnoses, symptomatology, functioning, quality of life, disability, service utilization, health economic costs of mental disorders, and sociodemographic and lifestyle characteristics. A population-weighted prevalence will be estimated using survey weights. Methods such as multivariate logistic and linear regression analyses will be used to calculate the risks and odds of factors that might be associated with different mental disorders. CONCLUSION: As the first population-based youth study in Hong Kong, HK-YES collects extensive and representative data on different mental conditions and their associated factors among young people. The information gathered will be important for future planning on youth mental health services in Hong Kong and will offer the opportunity for a more meaningful comparison of data with other youth populations.

Increasing Representation of Epidemiologists From Around the World in the Society for Epidemiologic Research: The Case of Mexico.

Mexico has a population of 129 million and is considered one of the most unequal countries in the world, suffering from widespread health disparities. There is a pressing need to strengthen epidemiologic capacity in Mexico, to help solve the complex health problems the country faces and to reduce health inequities. However, the representation of Mexican epidemiologists in the largest epidemiologic society in North America is low, despite the short distance to the United States. In this commentary, we discuss the barriers to higher representation of Mexican epidemiologists within the Society for Epidemiologic Research (SER), including language barriers, costs, and regional necessities. We also discuss opportunities to expand Mexican SER representation and collaboration. Overall, we hope that this is a call towards expanding SER global participation and starting a conversation on a common agenda for epidemiologic research.

When green enters a room: A scoping review of epidemiological studies on indoor plants and mental health.

BACKGROUND: Increasing numbers of epidemiological studies are investigating the association between outdoor greenery and various health outcomes. However, in the case of indoor plants, although experimental studies seem relatively abundant, epidemiological studies remain scarce, and research considering the mental health effects is even more limited. Thus, we aim to identify and summarise the relevant epidemiological studies on indoor plant exposure and mental health via this scoping review, thereby presenting the current state of knowledge and research niches. METHODS: PubMed and PsycINFO were systematically searched for epidemiological studies on indoor plant exposure and mental health, including mental and behavioural disorders, quality of life, and cognitive function. The publication period was from the inception of these two databases to 22nd June 2022. We extracted information on exposure to indoor plants and mental health-related outcomes from the relevant studies. RESULTS: The systematic search yielded 1186 unique results. Six studies met the inclusion criteria and were finally included in this scoping review. All included studies were Europe-based cross-sectional studies on mental and behavioural disorders. One study was conducted in 2015 and investigated the office environment, whereas the other five were conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic and focused on the home environment. Despite considerable heterogeneity in outcome assessments and indoor plant exposure metrics, all six studies generally reported beneficial associations between having indoor plants and mental health, such as reducing stress, depressive symptoms, and negative emotions. CONCLUSIONS: Epidemiological evidence on exposure to indoor plants and mental health is currently limited. In general, favourable effects of indoor plants are supported, although most relevant studies were conducted in the context of COVID-19. Before conducting more studies to explore the associations, data collection methods must be refined with more elaborate designs that allow for the measurement of more comprehensive metrics of indoor plants. REGISTRATION: Open Science Framework, osf.io/5xr6b.

[The influence of meteorological factors on SARS-CoV-2 transmission: evidence from laboratory and epidemiological studies].

SARS-CoV-2 has infected more than 600 million people worldwide and caused more than 6 million deaths. The emerging novel variants have made the epidemic rebound in many places. Meteorological factors can affect the epidemic spread by changing virus activity, transmission dynamic parameters and host susceptibility. This paper systematically analyzed the currently available laboratory and epidemiological studies on the association between the meteorological factors and COVID-19 incidence, in order to provide scientific evidence for future epidemic control and prevention, as well as developing early warning system.

COVID-19 in one region of New Zealand: a descriptive epidemiological study.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the epidemiology of COVID-19 in one region of New Zealand in the context of the national lockdown and provide a reference for comparing infection dynamics and control measures between SARS-Cov-2 strains.  Methods: Epidemiological linking and analysis of COVID-19 cases and their close contacts residing in the geographical area served by the Southern District Health Board (SDHB).  Results: From 13 March to 5 April 5 2020, 186 cases were laboratory-confirmed with wild-type Sars-Cov-2 in SDHB. Overall, 35·1% of cases were attributable to household transmission, 27·0% to non-household, 25·4% to overseas travel and 12·4% had no known epidemiological links. The highest secondary attack rate was observed in households during lockdown (15·3%, 95%CI 10·4-21·5). The mean serial interval in 50 exclusive infector-infectee pairs was 4·0 days (95%CI 3·2-4·7days), and the mean incubation period was 3.4 days (95%CI 2·7-4·2). CONCLUSIONS: The SARS-CoV-2 incubation period may be shorter than early estimates that were limited by uncertainties in exposure history or small sample sizes. IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH: The continuation of household transmission during lockdown highlights the need for effective home-based quarantine guidance. Our findings of a short incubation period highlight the need to contact trace and isolate as rapidly as possible.

HIV infection does not affect the risk of death of COVID-19 patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis of epidemiological studies.

Background: Even during the current Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the infection with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) continues to pose a major threat, worldwide. In fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) defined the HIV infection as a risk factor for both severe COVID-19, at hospital admission, and in-hospital mortality. Despite this evidence, however, there remains the need for investigating whether SARS-CoV-2 infection could increase the risk of death among people living with HIV (PLHIV). Thus, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 infection on the risk of death among PLHIV and HIV- seronegative people. Methods: The literature search was carried out on PubMed, Embase and Web of Science databases, from the inception to February 2022. Epidemiological studies on patients tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection, which compared the proportion of deaths between PLHIV and HIV-seronegative people, were considered eligible for the inclusion. The pooled odds ratio (OR) was obtained through meta-analysis of the comparison between PLHIV and HIV-seronegative people. Study quality was assessed by using the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment. Results: On a total of 1001 records obtained from the literature search, the present systematic review and meta-analysis included 28 studies on 168 531 PLHIV and 66 712 091 HIV-seronegative patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. The meta-analysis showed no difference in the risk of death between PLHIV and HIV-seronegative patients (OR = 1.09; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.93-1.26; P > 0.001). However, a significant heterogeneity was found for this comparison (I2 = 88.8%, P < 0.001). Conclusions: Although our meta-analysis suggests no difference in the risk of death of PLHIV with SARS-CoV-2 infection, if compared with HIV-seronegative patients, further research should be encouraged to improve the current knowledge about the impact of SARS-CoV-2 and HIV co-infection.

COVID-19-associated Mucormycosis: A clinico-epidemiological study.

BACKGROUND: There was an unprecedented increase in COVID-19-associated-Mucormycosis (CAM) cases during the second pandemic wave in India. METHODS: This observational study was done to know the epidemiological profile of CAM cases andincluded all patients admitted with mucormycosis between May 2021 and July 2021. RESULTS: Out of the enrolled 208 CAM cases (either SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR or serology positive), 204, three and one had rhino-orbital-cerebral, pulmonary and gastrointestinal mucormycosis, respectively. 95.7 % of the patients had diabetes, out of which 42.3 % were recently diagnosed. Mean HbA1c was 10.16 ± 2.56 %. 82.5 % of the patients were unvaccinated. During their COVID-19 illness, 86.5 % were prescribed antibiotics, 84.6 % zinc preparations, 76.4 % ivermectin, and 64.9 % steroids, while only 39.5 % required oxygen therapy. The frequency of blood groups A, B, O and AB in our CAM patients was 29.5 %, 18.9 %, 38.9 % &12.6 %, respectively. At three months follow up, 60 (28.8 %) patients died, four (1.9 %) stopped antifungal treatment, and 144(69.23 %) were on antifungal treatment. 55 % (n = 33) of deaths occurred within 15 days of admission. Mortality was significantly associated with higher age, RT-PCR positive for SARS-CoV-2, raised serum creatinine and alkaline phosphatase during treatment. At 6 months follow-up, eight more patients died, three due to chronic kidney disease, four patients who had stopped treatment and one patient who was on a ventilator due to COVID-19 associated pneumonia and the rest 140(67.3 %) survived. CONCLUSION: Uncontrolled hyperglycemia, SARS-CoV-2 infection, rampant use of antibiotics, zinc supplementation and steroids were some of the risk factors for mucormycosis. Despite the overwhelming number of patients with an uncommon disease like mucormycosis, the six months mortality was much lower than expected.

Characterization of Clinical Features of Hospitalized Patients Due to the SARS-CoV-2 Infection in the Absence of Comorbidities Regarding the Sex: An Epidemiological Study of the First Year of the Pandemic in Brazil.

The male sex, due to the presence of genetic, immunological, hormonal, social, and environmental factors, is associated with higher severity and death in Coronavirus Disease (COVID)-19. We conducted an epidemiological study to characterize the COVID-19 clinical profile, severity, and outcome according to sex in patients with the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) due to the fact of this disease. We carried out an epidemiological analysis using epidemiological data made available by the OpenDataSUS, which stores information about SARS in Brazil. We recorded the features of the patients admitted to the hospital for SARS treatment due to the presence of COVID-19 (in the absence of comorbidities) and associated these characteristics with sex and risk of death. The study comprised 336,463 patients, 213,151 of whom were men. Male patients presented a higher number of clinical signs, for example, fever (OR = 1.424; 95%CI = 1.399-1.448), peripheral arterial oxygen saturation (SpO2) < 95% (OR = 1.253; 95%CI = 1.232-1.274), and dyspnea (OR = 1.146; 95%CI = 1.125-1.166) as well as greater need for admission in intensive care unit (ICU, OR = 1.189; 95%CI = 1.168-1.210), and the use of invasive ventilatory support (OR = 1.306; 95%CI = 1.273-1.339) and noninvasive ventilatory support (OR = 1.238; 95%CI = 1.216-1.260) when compared with female patients. Curiously, the male sex was associated only with a small increase in the risk of death when compared with the female sex (OR = 1.041; 95%CI = 1.023-1.060). We did a secondary analysis to identify the main predictors of death. In that sense, the multivariate analysis enabled the prediction of the risk of death, and the male sex was one of the predictors (OR = 1.101; 95%CI = 1.011-1.199); however, with a small effect size. In addition, other factors also contributed to this prediction and presented a great effect size, they are listed below: older age (61-72 years old (OR = 15.778; 95%CI = 1.865-133.492), 73-85 years old (OR = 31.978; 95%CI = 3.779-270.600), and +85 years old (OR = 68.385; 95%CI = 8.164-589.705)); race (Black (OR = 1.247; 95%CI = 1.016-1.531), Pardos (multiracial background; OR = 1.585; 95%CI = 1.450-1.732), and Indigenous (OR = 3.186; 95%CI = 1.927-5.266)); clinical signs (for instance, dyspnea (OR = 1.231; 95%CI = 1.110-1.365) and SpO2 < 95% (OR = 1.367; 95%CI = 1.238-1.508)); need for admission in the ICU (OR = 3.069; 95%CI = 2.789-3.377); and for ventilatory support (invasive (OR = 10.174; 95%CI = 8.803-11.759) and noninvasive (OR = 1.609; 95%CI = 1.438-1.800)). In conclusion, in Brazil, male patients tend to present the phenotype of higher severity in COVID-19, however, with a small effect on the risk of death.

COVID-19 outbreak rates and infection attack rates associated with the workplace: a descriptive epidemiological study.

OBJECTIVES: A large number of COVID-19 outbreaks/clusters have been reported in a variety of workplace settings since the start of the pandemic but the rate of outbreak occurrence in the workplace has not previously been assessed. The objectives of this paper are to identify the geographical areas and industrial sectors with a high rate of outbreaks of COVID-19 and to compare infection attack rates by enterprise size and sector in England. METHODS: Public Health England (PHE) HPZone data on COVID-19 outbreaks in workplaces, between 18 May and 12 October 2020, were analysed. The workplace outbreak rates by region and sector were calculated, using National Population Database (NPD) with the total number of workplaces as the denominator. The infection attack rates were calculated by enterprise size and sector using PHE Situations of Interest data with the number of test-confirmed COVID-19 cases in a workplace outbreak as the numerator and using NPD data with the number employed in that workplace as the denominator. RESULTS: The highest attack rate was for outbreaks in close contact services (median 16.5%), followed by outbreaks in restaurants and catering (median 10.2%), and in manufacturers and packers of non-food products (median 6.7%). The overall outbreak rate was 66 per 100 000 workplaces. Of the nine English regions, the North West had the highest workplace outbreak rate (155 per 100 000 workplaces). Of the industrial sectors, manufacturers and packers of food had the highest outbreak rate (1672 per 100 000), which was consistent across seven of the regions. In addition, high outbreak rates in warehouses were observed in the East Midlands and the North West. CONCLUSIONS: Early identification of geographical regions and industrial sectors with higher rates of COVID-19 workplace outbreaks can inform interventions to limit transmission of SARS-CoV-2.

Rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis: An epidemiological study from a tertiary care referral center in Western India.

Purpose: Rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis (ROCM) is a rare opportunistic fungal infection with a fulminant course and an often fatal outcome. It can occur in immune-compromised patients such as those having uncontrolled diabetes, on long-term corticosteroid or immunosuppressive therapy, with COVID-19 infection, renal failure, AIDS, malignancy, or organ transplant. The aim of our study was to study the epidemiology of mucormycosis in COVID-19 patients and identify its risk factors. Methods: Ours was an epidemiological study wherein we gathered the demographic, clinical, histopathological, and radiological data of 458 patients of mucormycosis who presented to us between August 2020 and May 2021. Mucormycosis was defined through clinical and radiological findings or positive culture reports. Results: Out of all, 20.74% of patients did not have any past or concurrent history of COVID-19. The most common symptom of mucormycosis was orbital/facial pain (38.64%) and the most common sign was periocular/facial edema (50.74%). Mucormycosis involving the nose and sinuses (94.54%) was most common followed by rhino-orbital (45.41%) and brain involvement (10.04%). The most common risk factor for mucormycosis was diabetes [81.92%], followed by corticosteroid use [79.69%] and supplemental oxygen [48.90%]. Most of the patients received similar treatment with IV amphotericin B [88.64%] and local debridement [80.74%]. Conclusion: With the third wave of COVID-19 still lurking, a fatal fungal infection should be kept in mind in COVID-19 active as well as recovered patients, especially those who have co-morbid medical conditions such as uncontrolled diabetes and who are treated with large doses of corticosteroids.

Development and Implementation of Dried Blood Spot-Based COVID-19 Serological Assays for Epidemiologic Studies.

Serological surveillance studies of infectious diseases provide population-level estimates of infection and antibody prevalence, generating crucial insight into population-level immunity, risk factors leading to infection, and effectiveness of public health measures. These studies traditionally rely on detection of pathogen-specific antibodies in samples derived from venipuncture, an expensive and logistically challenging aspect of serological surveillance. During the COVID-19 pandemic, guidelines implemented to prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2 infection made collection of venous blood logistically difficult at a time when SARS-CoV-2 serosurveillance was urgently needed. Dried blood spots (DBS) have generated interest as an alternative to venous blood for SARS-CoV-2 serological applications due to their stability, low cost, and ease of collection; DBS samples can be self-generated via fingerprick by community members and mailed at ambient temperatures. Here, we detail the development of four DBS-based SARS-CoV-2 serological methods and demonstrate their implementation in a large serological survey of community members from 12 cities in the East Bay region of the San Francisco metropolitan area using at-home DBS collection. We find that DBS perform similarly to plasma/serum in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and commercial SARS-CoV-2 serological assays. In addition, we show that DBS samples can reliably detect antibody responses months postinfection and track antibody kinetics after vaccination. Implementation of DBS enabled collection of valuable serological data from our study population to investigate changes in seroprevalence over an 8-month period. Our work makes a strong argument for the implementation of DBS in serological studies, not just for SARS-CoV-2, but any situation where phlebotomy is inaccessible. IMPORTANCE Estimation of community-level antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 from infection or vaccination is critical to inform public health responses. Traditional studies of antibodies rely on collection of blood via venipuncture, an invasive procedure not amenable to pandemic-related social-distancing measures. Dried blood spots (DBS) are an alternative to venipuncture, since they can be self-collected by study participants at home and do not require refrigeration for shipment or storage. However, DBS-based assays to measure antibody levels to SARS-CoV-2 have not been widely utilized. Here, we show that DBS are comparable to blood as a sampling method for antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination over time measured using four distinct serological assays. The DBS format enabled antibody surveillance in a longitudinal cohort where study participants self-collected samples, ensuring the participants' safety during an ongoing pandemic. Our work demonstrates that DBS are an excellent sampling method for measuring antibody responses whenever venipuncture is impractical.