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Background Health care workers (HCWs) are on the frontline, playing a crucial role in the prevention of infection and treatment of patients. Aims This study was aimed to evaluate the prevalence of hospital-acquired coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection at work and related factors at the University Hospital of Trieste workers exposed to COVID-19 patients. Methods From March 1 to May 31, of 4216 employees, 963 were in contact with COVID-19 patients or colleagues and were followed up. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in nasopharyngeal swabs was determined every 3 days, by RT-PCR. Results During the follow-up period, 193 workers were positive for COVID-19 (5%), and 165 of these (86%) were symptomatic. We identified five major cluster outbreaks of COVID-19 infection in Trieste Hospitals, four of which occurred before the implementation of universal masking for HCWs and patients (1–14 March 2020). COVID-19 infection was significantly higher in high-risk ward workers (Infectious Diseases, and Geriatric and Emergency Medicine, odds ratio [OR] 13.4; 95% confidence interval [CI] 5.8–31), in subjects with symptoms (OR 5.4; 95% CI 2.9–10) and in those with contacts with COVID-19 patients and colleagues (OR 2.23; 95% CI 1.01–4.9). Conclusions Hospital workers were commonly infected due to contact with COVID-19 patients and colleagues, mainly in the first 15 days of the pandemic, before the implementation of universal mask wearing of HCWs and patients. Repetitive testing and follow-up permitted the identification of COVID-19 cases before symptom onset, obtaining better infection prevention and control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ethylenediamine dihydrochloride is a versatile aliphatic amine found in numerous medications and industrial compounds and is a known sensitiser. The sensitization prevalence is affected by geographical and socio-cultural factors., Objectives: The objectives are to analyse the temporal trend of sensitization to ethylenediamine dihydrochloride in northeastern Italy and to investigate associations with occupations., Methods: Between 1996 and 2021, 30 629 patients with suspected allergic contact dermatitis were patch tested with the Triveneto baseline series. Individual characteristics were collected through a standardised questionnaire., Results: The overall prevalence of ethylenediamine dihydrochloride sensitization was 1.29% with percentages similar in both sexes. We observed a significant decreasing trend over time (p < 0.001), yielding a sensitization prevalence <1% in recent years. Among departments, residence in Pordenone area was protective for sensitization. No significant associations were observed with specific occupations. We found significant associations between ethylenediamine dihydrochloride sensitization and being 26-35 years old (odds ratio [OR], 1.47; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.05-2.08), and sensitization for many haptens, such as paraben mix (OR, 5.3; 95% CI: 3.3-8.5), epoxy resin (OR, 5.1; 95% CI: 3.0-8.7), neomycin sulphate and mercaptobenzothiazole., Conclusions: Our study showed a downward time trend of ethylenediamine dihydrochloride sensitization in northeastern Italian population and pointed to an update of the Triveneto baseline series., (© 2023 The Authors. Contact Dermatitis published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Healthcare workers, particularly nurses and apprentice nurses, are at high risk of the development of hand eczema due to daily exposure to wet work. This study aimed to assess the occurrence of hand eczema in a group of first-, second-, and third-year apprentice nurses at the University Hospitals of Trieste (northeastern Italy) during the COVID-19 pandemic., Methods: Two hundred forty-two Nursing School students were recruited. Data were collected using a standardized questionnaire based on the Nordic Occupational Skin Questionnaire, and all patients underwent a medical examination to evaluate their skin condition based on standard scores. Transepidermal water loss was also measured. The factors associated with hand eczema were investigated using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses., Results: The prevalence of hand eczema was low in students both before and after the traineeship (17.9 and 21.5%, respectively), but clinical signs of mild skin damage, mainly skin dryness, were present in 52.3 and 47.2%, respectively. The factor associated with hand eczema was a personal history of atopic eczema (odd ratios 2.61, 95% confidence intervals 1.18-5.80), while exposure to irritants and glove use did not reach statistical significance., Conclusions: Our findings might be explained by the preventive measures adopted for skin protection among healthcare workers in Trieste since the apprenticeship.

Background: Occupational skin diseases (OSDs) are common in healthcare workers (HCWs)., Objectives: To investigate and compare the incidence and clinical features of OSDs among HCWs before and during the COVID-19 pandemic., Materials and Methods: Incident cases of OSDs were investigated in the cohort of HCWs at Trieste Hospitals from 1 July 2018 (3340 workers) to 31 October 2021 (137 532 person-months)., Results: The monthly incidence was ranging from 0 to 11.90 cases per 10 000 person-months in pre-COVID-19 period (cumulative incidence 4.22; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.9-6.0) and from 0 to 13.61 cases per 10 000 person-months in COVID-19 period (cumulative incidence 5.06; 95% CI: 3.6-6.9). The incidence rate ratio (IRR) between COVID-19 and pre-COVID-19 period was 1.22 (95% CI: 0.73-1.98). The incidence of OSDs in the COVID-19 period was 6.1 (4.2-8.6) and 2.7 (95% CI: 1.1-5.6) cases × 10 000 person-months for women and men, respectively, with an IRR of 2.25 (95% CI: 0.98-5.9). Incidence in nurses in the COVID-19 period was 6.7 (95% CI: 4.2-10.2) cases × 10 000 person-months., Conclusions: Incidence of OSDs was a little bit higher during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the previous period but fluctuation of numbers were mainly related to calendar period, with higher incidence in winter and spring. Incidence data were higher than that observed in 2004-2013 in the same cohort. Face dermatitis cases doubled after the start of COVID-19 pandemic. Overall data demonstrated a non-significant increase of OSDs in HCWs during the pandemic, probably due to the preventive strategies set up in our cohort over the years., (© 2022 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: During major epidemic outbreaks, the preparedness of public health systems is challenged and -healthcare workers (HCWs) are at the frontline. Italy was among the first- and worst-hit countries by COVID-19., Aim: To analyze the prevalence and incidence of infection among HCWs in Friuli Venezia Giulia region (north-eastern Italy) from March 1 to the end of the Italian lock-down, May 10, 2020., Methods: HCWs exposed to COVID-19 patients were actively surveyed and all HCWs were routinely tested with nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swab for RNA virus detection (n. 54,670)., Results: Infected HCWs (n. 595) represented the 32.3% of all COVID-19 cases in the region under 65 years of age, and incidence of infection was 11.4 cases/1000 workers. HCWs accounted for a significant proportion of coronavirus infection and experienced high infection incidence after unprotected contact., Conclusions: HCWs' knowledge of SARS-CoV-2 epidemiology and proper infection control practices are critical to the control of the disease.

Background: Hairdressers are at high risk of contact dermatitis (CD) due to skin exposure to numerous irritants and haptens in hair products in combination with frequent wet work., Objectives: To investigate the characteristics and incidence of CD among hairdressers in north-eastern Italy., Methods: A total of 324 hairdressers who had been examined and patch tested in north-eastern Italy from 1996 to 2016 were retrospectively identified, and compared with 9669 matched controls. Sensitization to allergens of the hairdressing series was analysed among hairdressers attending an occupational medicine clinic in Trieste, Italy. Incidence data were calculated from 1999 to 2016., Results: Sensitization to p-phenylenediamine, thiuram mix, and N-isopropyl-N'-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine was significantly associated with hairdressing and with hand/forearms dermatitis. Frequent sensitizers from hairdressing series were ammonium persulfate, toluene-2,5-diamine, and p-aminobenzene. The overall incidence of CD declined from 2003 (31.7 cases/10 000 workers) to 2016 (20.8 cases/10 000 workers)., Conclusions: Sensitization to several haptens was significantly associated with hairdressing. The incidence of CD among hairdressers in north-eastern Italy has declined in recent years, but is still high. Preventive efforts are needed to reduce the burden of CD in this professional group., (© 2020 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: During work, hairdressers are exposed to several hazardous agents that can cause skin and respiratory symptoms. Because few data are available for long-term follow-up, and none are from Italy, the aim of our study was to investigate occupational symptoms in hairdressers after a 10-year follow-up., Methods: Work-related skin and respiratory symptoms were investigated in 2006 and 2016 by means of a standardized questionnaire and medical examination., Results: Eighty-two workers completed the 10-year follow-up with a response rate of 86.3%. At follow-up, skin- and respiratory work-related symptoms had increased significantly, involving 40.7% of workers. Skin symptoms increased to 12.5%, throat irritation to 15.6%, and cough to 12.5%. The occurrence of the symptom of skin irritation was significantly related to dryness of the skin at the baseline., Conclusions: Our long-term follow-up on hairdressers demonstrated an increase in work-related irritant skin and upper respiratory symptoms that involved more than one-third of the population studied. More efforts are needed in prevention activities to promote better ventilation of workplaces, use of less irritating and less sensitizing hair products, and use of moisturizers to prevent dry skin.