Video display operator complaints: A 10-year follow-up of visual fatigue and refractive disorders

Visual fatigue and discomfort are very common complaints for video display operators (VDTs). The aim of our study was to study work-related visual symptoms in relation to refractive disorders and psychosocial factors in 3054 public employees by way of follow-ups for 10 years with periodic medical examinations with eye evaluation in the period 2000-2009. Factors related to visual fatigue were evaluated in the follow-up using generalized equation estimation. Visual fatigue was very common in VDT operators (64.03%). During the follow-up, no relationship between visual fatigue and age, sex, seniority of work, visual acuity and refractory disorders was found. Visual fatigue was significantly associated with anxiety perception in a dose-related matter (odds ratio (OR) 7.40, confidence interval (CI) 95% 1.77-31.3), psychosocial factors (OR 1.03, CI 95% 1.01-1.07), use of lenses (OR 1.34, CI 95% 1.09-1.64) and time of VDT usage (OR 1.27, CI 95% 1.04-1.53). This study confirmed that visual fatigue is common in VDT users and is related to anxiety perception, time of VDT usage, use of lenses and stress. No relationship was found between visual fatigue and refractory disorders or visual acuit

SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Health Care Workers of Trieste (North-Eastern Italy), 1 October 2020-7 February 2022: Occupational Risk and the Impact of the Omicron Variant

Vaccination coverage against COVID-19 among health care workers (HCWs) of the University Health Agency Giuliano-Isontina (ASUGI) of Trieste (North-eastern Italy) by 1 January 2022 was 90.4% with at least one vaccine dose, 84.9% with at least 2 doses, and 75.1% with 3 doses, 98.2% with Comirnaty (Pfizer BioNtech, New York, NY, USA) versus 1.8% with Spikevax (Moderna, Cambridge, MA, USA). From 1 October 2020 to 7 February 2022, 1652 SARS-CoV-2 infections were notified in HCWs of ASUGI Trieste. Although the overall risk of SARS-CoV-2 contagion increased over time, the rate of occupational infections progressively declined, from 42.5% during the second COVID-19 wave to 15.6% in the fifth. Between 1 January-7 February 2022 (a period dominated by the Omicron variant), albeit no COVID-19-associated hospitalizations were recorded in HCWs of ASUGI Trieste, 669 SARS-CoV-2 infections were counted against 367 cases observed from 1 October to 31 December 2020, the 3 months preceding the implementation of the vaccination campaign against COVID-19. Job tasks and health care settings turned out to be the most significant risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, the effect of workplace prevailed over job task on the biological risk, with greater rates of SARS-CoV-2 infections observed among HCWs operating in areas with higher levels of circulation of the virus, particularly COVID-19 dedicated units

Diaminodiphenylmethane Sensitization in north-eastern Italy from 1996 to 2012

BACKGROUND: 4,4'-Diaminodiphenylmethane (DDM) is an aromatic amine used as a hardener, insulator and anticorrosive. Exposure implies risk of being sensitized and developing contact dermatitis. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the occurrence of contact sensitization to DDM among patients with contact dermatitis and the role of occupational exposure. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From 1996 to 2012, 24 056 consecutive patients with suspected allergic contact dermatitis were patch tested in north-eastern Italy. Individual characteristics were collected through a standardized questionnaire in eight departments of dermatology and occupational medicine. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of DDM sensitization was 2.5% (n = 599) with a decreasing trend in considered years. Trieste area had the higher prevalence of sensitization (3.2%). Mechanics and chemical industry workers had a significant higher risk of being sensitized to DDM. CONCLUSION: DDM sensitization is decreasing in years and is associated with some occupational exposures

Contact allergy to methylchloroisothiazolinone/methylisothiazolinone in north-eastern Italy: a temporal trend from 1996 to 2016

BACKGROUND: Methylchloroisothiazolinone (MCI)/methylisothiazolinone (MI) (Kathon\uae CG) is a common preservative used in industrial products, owing to its strong biocide effect. Contact allergy to MCI/MI has been reported in different occupations, including mechanics, hairdressers and healthcare workers. OBJECTIVE: To retrospectively analyse the temporal trend of MCI/MI sensitization in north-eastern Italy and to evaluate the associations with occupations in our geographical area. METHODS: From 1996 to 2016, 27 381 patients with suspected allergic contact dermatitis were patch tested in eight departments of Dermatology or Occupational Medicine in north-eastern Italy. Individual characteristics were collected through a standardized questionnaire. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of MCI/MI sensitization was 4.2%, with the highest prevalence found in women and in patients younger than 25 years. MCI/MI sensitization was significantly associated with atopic eczema (OR: 1.34, 95% CI: 1.10-1.70), hand/forearm dermatitis (OR: 1.20, 95% CI: 1.05-1.36) and face dermatitis (OR 1.30, 95% CI: 1.10-1.40). There was a significant association between MCI/MI sensitization and chemical processing workers (OR 1.74, 95% CI: 1.03-2.94), while mechanics and healthcare workers resulted more sensitized to this hapten only in the last 3 years. CONCLUSIONS Sensitization to MCI/MI is rising in the last years in Triveneto region, the 'epidemic' of sensitization to MCI/MI is mainly driven by extra-occupational dermatitis, and sensitization in some occupational groups is emerging only in the last years. A full labelling is compulsory for all products that contain isothiazolinones, to permit to identify the culprit agent

In vitro permeability of silver nanoparticles through porcine oromucosal membrane

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) can come in contact with human oral mucosa due to their wide use infood industry and hygiene devices. We evaluate transmucosal absorption of 19 nm AgNPs using excisedporcine buccal mucosa applied on Franz diffusion cells. Two donor solutions were used: one containingAgNPs (0.5 g/L) and one derived from the ultrafiltration of the former and containing only Ag in its solubleform. Experiments were carried out separately for 4 h. Silver flux permeation was demonstrated throughoral mucosa, showing similar values for AgNPs (6.8 \ub1 4.5 ng cm 122h 121) and Ag ions (5.2 \ub1 4.3 ng cm 122h 121).Our study demonstrates that silver can permeate the oromucosal barrier and that absorption is sub-stantially due to Ag ions, since no permeation difference was found using the two solutions. Mucosalabsorption has to be considered in further risk assessment studies

Skin contamination as pathway for nicotine intoxication in vapers

Growing warnings on health effects related to electronic cigarettes have met inconclusive findings at present. This study analyzed the in vitro percutaneous absorption of nicotine resulting by skin contamination with two e-liquids (refill 1 and 2) containing nicotine at 1.8%. Donor chambers of 6 Franz cells for each refill liquid were filled with 1 mL of nicotine e-liquid for 24 h; at selected intervals, 1.5 mL of the receptor solutions were collected for nicotine concentration analysis by mean gas chromatography\u2013mass spectrometry (LOD: 0.01 \u3bcg/mL). The experiment was repeated removing the nicotine donor solution after 10 min from the application and rinsing the skin surface three times with 3.0 mL of milliQ water. A total of 12 cells with 24 h exposure and 12 cells washed were studied. The mean concentration of nicotine in the receiving phase at the end of the experiment was 54.9 \ub1 29.5 and 30.2 \ub1 18.4 \u3bcg/cm2 for refill 1 and 2 respectively and significantly lower in washed cells (4.7 \ub1 2.4 and 3.5 \ub1 1.3 \u3bcg/cm2). The skin absorption of nicotine can lead to minor health illness in vapers, while caution must be paid to dermal contamination by e liquids in children. The skin cleaning significantly reduced the transdermal absorption kinetic and intradermal deposition of nicotine

COVID-19 outbreak in healthcare workers in hospitals in Trieste, North-east Italy

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A Multi-Center Study Investigating Long COVID-19 in Healthcare Workers from North-Eastern Italy: Prevalence, Risk Factors and the Impact of Pre-Existing Humoral Immunity—ORCHESTRA Project

: Introduction: The impact of long-COVID-19 syndrome is rather variable, since it is influenced by several residual confounders. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of long COVID-19 in healthcare workers (HCWs) from four university hospitals in north-eastern Italy: Trieste, Padua, Verona, and Modena-Reggio Emilia. Methods: During the period June 2022-August 2022, HCWs were surveyed for past COVID-19 infections, medical history, and any acute as well as post-COVID-19 symptoms. The prevalence of long COVID-19 was estimated at 30-60 days or 61+ days since first negative swab following first and second COVID-19 episode. Furthermore, the risk of long COVID-19 was investigated by multivariable logistic regression. Results were expressed as the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) with a 95% confidence interval (95%CI). Results: 5432 HCWs returned a usable questionnaire: 2401 were infected with SARS-CoV-2 at least once, 230 were infected at least twice, and 8 were infected three times. The prevalence of long COVID-19 after a primary COVID-19 infection was 24.0% at 30-60 days versus 16.3% at 61+ days, and 10.5% against 5.5% after the second SARS-CoV-2 event. The most frequent symptoms after a first COVID-19 event were asthenia (30.3%), followed by myalgia (13.7%), cough (12.4%), dyspnea (10.2%), concentration deficit (8.1%), headache (7.3%), and anosmia (6.5%), in decreasing order of prevalence. The risk of long COVID-19 at 30-60 days was significantly higher in HCWs hospitalized for COVID-19 (aOR = 3.34; 95%CI: 1.62; 6.89), those infected with SARS-CoV-2 during the early pandemic waves-namely the Wuhan (aOR = 2.16; 95%CI: 1.14; 4.09) or Alpha (aOR= 2.05; 95%CI: 1.25; 3.38) transmission periods-and progressively increasing with viral shedding time (VST), especially 15+ days (aOR = 3.20; 95%CI: 2.07; 4.94). Further determinants of long COVID-19 at 30-60 days since primary COVID-19 event were female sex (aOR = 1.91; 95%CI: 1.30; 2.80), age >40 years, abnormal BMI, or administrative services (reference category). In contrast, HCWs vaccinated with two doses before their primary infection (aOR = 0.57; 95%CI: 0.34; 0.94), undergraduate students, or postgraduate medical trainees were less likely to experience long COVID-19 at 30-60 days. Apart from pandemic waves, the main determinants of long COVID-19 at 30-60 days were confirmed at 61+ days. Conclusions: The risk of long COVID-19 following primary infection increased with the severity of acute disease and VST, especially during the initial pandemic waves, when more virulent viral strains were circulating, and susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 was higher since most HCWs had not been infected yet, COVID-19 vaccines were still not available, and/or vaccination coverage was still building up. The risk of long COVID-19 therefore decreased inversely with humoral immunity at the individual level. Nevertheless, the prevalence of long COVID-19 was remarkably lower after SARS-CoV-2 reinfections regardless of vaccination status, suggesting that hybrid humoral immunity did not increase protection against the syndrome compared to immunity mounted by either natural infection or vaccination separately. Since the risk of long COVID-19 is currently low with Omicron and patients who developed the syndrome following SARS-CoV-2 infection in the early pandemic waves tend to return to a state of full health with time, a cost-effective approach to screen post-COVID-19 symptoms during the Omicron time could be restricted to vulnerable individuals developing severe disease and/or with prolonged VST