Biomed Pap Med Fac Univ Palacky Olomouc Czech Repub
June 2023
The association of mesothelioma, a lethal lung disease, with asbestos has led to an absolute ban on asbestos in at least 55 countries worldwide. The purpose of this paper is to review residual exposure to asbestos as well as other emerging causes of mesothelioma outside asbestos. The review provides detailed description of asbestos minerals, their geographical locations, mesothelioma in these areas, as well as contemporary possible sources of asbestos exposure.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCOVID-19 has led to an unprecedented strain on healthcare workers (HCWs). This study aimed to determine the prevalence of burnout in hospital employees during a prolonged pandemic-induced burden on healthcare systems. An online survey among employees of a Czech and Slovak university hospital was conducted between November 2021 and January 2022, approximately when the incidence rates peaked in both countries.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Post-acute COVID-19 syndrome (PCS) is a multisystem disorder degrading the quality of life. The study determined characteristics and predictors of PCS in unvaccinated healthcare workers (HCWs) suffering from PCS based on a comparison with their fully recovered counterparts.
Methods: 305 HCWs were examined at least 12 weeks post COVID-19 symptom onset to obtain data about their acute phase of COVID-19 and current health status and tested for complete blood count, C-reactive protein (CRP), electrophoresis of plasma proteins and SARS-CoV-2-specific immunoglobulin (Ig) G and M.
Background and Objectives: Given the limited knowledge of antibody responses to COVID-19 and their determinants, we analyzed the relationship between the occurrence of acute-phase symptoms and infection-induced immunoglobulin (Ig) G seropositivity up to 8 months post-symptom onset. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 661 middle-aged unvaccinated healthcare workers (HCWs) were interviewed about the presence of symptoms during the acute phase of their previously confirmed COVID-19 and were tested for specific IgG, targeting the spike protein (S1 and S2). The dependence of seropositivity on the symptom occurrence was explored through multiple logistic regression, adjusted for the interval between symptom onset and serology testing, and through classification and regression trees.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe presence of neutralizing SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies indicates protection against (re)infection, however, the knowledge of their long-term kinetics is limited. This study analyzed the presence of COVID-19-induced antibodies in unvaccinated healthcare workers (HCWs) over the period of 1-8 months post symptom onset (SO) and explored the determinants of persisting immunoglobulin (Ig) seropositivity. Six hundred sixty-two HCWs were interviewed for anamnestic data and tested for IgG targeting the spike protein (S1 and S2) and IgM targeting the receptor-binding domain.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Environ Res Public Health
November 2021
Unlabelled: Due to the limited availability of COVID-19 vaccines, occupational groups with priority access were identified prior to vaccination. The study aimed to analyze motives for vaccination in these occupational groups.
Methods: Members of occupational groups, who were vaccinated at the vaccination center of University Hospital Olomouc before 30 April 2021, were asked to fill in an online questionnaire.
High vaccination coverage among healthcare workers (HCWs) is crucial for managing the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim was to determine the demand for vaccination among all employees ( = 4553) of a tertiary care hospital after several weeks of the vaccine's availability, and to analyze motives for acceptance and reasons for hesitancy through an anonymous online questionnaire. Upon the completion of data collection, the hospital's vaccination coverage was at 69.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFProtection of healthcare workers (HCWs) against influenza is essential for patient health and a functional health system. The study aimed to analyze the demand for seasonal influenza vaccination (SIV) among various groups of HCWs in a tertiary care hospital before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and to identify their motives for this season's SIV. Before this influenza season (2020/21), the hospital management offered free SIV to all HCWs and promoted it on the internal network.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: Asbestos-related diseases are still a current problem worldwide. What is their occurrence in the Czech Republic? The answer is the subject of this study, which aims to provide a general and regional overview of the situation over the last 20 years with a more detailed focus on mesothelioma, the development of which is highly associated with asbestos exposure and the issue of their recognition as an occupational disease.
Methods: In its retrospective reviews, the study is based on analyses of data from the Institute of Health Information and Statistics of the Czech Republic and data from the Czech National Cancer Registry, which also interconnects.