Risk assessment methods in occupational health and hygiene: a scoping review.

Background: There are a variety of risk assessment methods to evaluate occupational hazards in the field of industrial hygiene. With the development of emerging technologies in the workforce, the previously established risk assessment methods may need to be adapted or new methods developed to address the risk of new hazards.

Methods: A scoping review was conducted consistent with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines.

Therapeutic drug monitoring of tenofovir disoproxil and emtricitabine in oral HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) users who have undergone gastrointestinal surgery.

Objectives: Oral HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is highly effective in preventing HIV, but its efficacy depends on adequate absorption of drug, which may decrease following gastrointestinal surgery.

Methods: Clinicians across eight Genito-urinary Medicine clinics in the United Kingdom submitted data on PrEP users with history of gastrointestinal surgery who were referred to a national complex PrEP multi-disciplinary team between June 2021 and April 2023. Anonymised data were submitted on demographics, surgical history, PrEP regimen, and results of therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) and HIV screening tests.

Evaluation of a multiplexed immunoassay for assessing long-term humoral immunity Orthopoxviruses.

Background: The 2022 Monkeypox virus (MPXV) global outbreak boosted development of multiple serological assays to aid understanding of Mpox immunology.

Objectives: The study aimed to assess a multiplexed solid-phase electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (Meso Scale Discovery (MSD)) for simultaneous detection of antibodies against MPXV, including A35, E8 and M1 antigens, along with corresponding Vaccina Virus (VACV) homologues and demonstrate its accuracy in assessing antibody titres post-vaccination and infection.

Methods: Assay performance was assessed for simultaneous detection of antibodies against MPXV and corresponding VACV antigens.

Cardiovascular disease risk in people of African ancestry with HIV in the United Kingdom.

Objectives: Our objective was to describe the prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in people of African ancestry with HIV in the UK.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of CVD risk factors in Black people with HIV aged ≥40 years and estimated the 10-year CVD risk using QRISK®3-2018. Correlations between body mass index (BMI) and CVD risk factors were described using Pearson correlation coefficients, and factors associated with 10-year CVD risk ≥5% were described using logistic regression.

treatment outcomes among a cohort failing macrolide resistance-guided treatment across three London sexual health clinics.

Objective: British guidelines advise treatment of () infection using the results of macrolide resistance-associated mutation (MRAM) assays. Limited data informs management when patients fail MRAM-guided treatment. This study evaluates current management strategies employed for cases of infection with MRAM-guided treatment failure.

Reduced risk for Omicron SARS-CoV-2 infection observed in older adults with hybrid immunity.

Background: Hybrid SARS-CoV-2 immunity may provide longer duration protection against severe SARS-CoV-2 infection and hospitalisation than purely vaccine-derived immunity. Older adults represent a high-risk group for severe disease, yet available data is skewed towards younger adults.

Methods: A prospective longitudinal study at a large London long-term care facility (LTCF) was conducted from March 2020 to April 2022 to assess the effect of hybrid versus vaccine-only immunity on SARS-CoV-2 infection in older adults during Omicron variant dominance.

HIV outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic in people of Black ethnicities living with HIV in England.

Objectives: To describe HIV care outcomes in people of Black ethnicities living in England during the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2; coronavirus disease 2019 [COVID-19]) pandemic.

Methods: This was an observational cohort study of people of self-reported Black ethnicities attending for HIV care at nine HIV clinics across England. The primary outcome was a composite of antiretroviral therapy (ART) interruption and HIV viraemia (HIV RNA ≥200 copies/mL) ascertained via self-completed questionnaires and review of medical records.

Aerosol and surface contamination assessment of a novel ventilated infectious aerosol containment device.

Healthcare personnels (HCPs) are at risk of respiratory infectious diseases during patient care activities. HCPs rely primarily on personal protective equipment to prevent pathogen exposures, but there is a need to develop alternative, or complementary control strategies, including engineering controls. The objective of this study was to evaluate the ability of the 3 designs (denoted D1A, D1B, and D2) of the University of Utah Containment Ventilation for Exposure Reduction (U-COVER), a protective barrier enclosure device to contain respirable aerosols when placed over a simulated patient.

Gender aspects in occupational exposure and health studies.

While sex is a biological attribute associated with physical and physiological features, gender refers to socially constructed roles, behaviors, expressions, and identities. On the biological side, males and females differ concerning hormonal and anatomical differences, and It is therefore plausible occupational exposure may act differently on males and females. In contrast, gender may influence the work organization, work environment conditions and exposures, and employment conditions, leading people of different genders to perform different jobs or job tasks, be exposed to different stressors, and work under different employment terms.

Impact of respiratory aerosol size and number distribution on the relative importance of different routes in SARS-CoV-2 transmission.

Exploring the relative importance of different routes in SARS-CoV-2 transmission is crucial in infection prevention. However, even in the same environmental setting, the relative importance of different routes has varied in different studies. We hypothesize that respiratory aerosol size and number distribution might play a key role.

Hybrid immunity in older adults is associated with reduced SARS-CoV-2 infections following BNT162b2 COVID-19 immunisation.

Background: Older adults, particularly in long-term care facilities (LTCF), remain at considerable risk from SARS-CoV-2. Data on the protective effect and mechanisms of hybrid immunity are skewed towards young adults precluding targeted vaccination strategies.

Methods: A single-centre longitudinal seroprevalence vaccine response study was conducted with 280 LCTF participants (median 82 yrs, IQR 76-88 yrs; 95.

Exposure frequency, intensity, and duration: What we know about work-related asthma risks for healthcare workers from cleaning and disinfection.

The objective of this review was to scope the current evidence base related to three exposure assessment concepts: frequency, intensity, and duration (latency) for cleaning and disinfection exposures in healthcare and subsequent work-related asthma risks. A search strategy was developed addressing intersections of four main concepts: (1) work-related asthma; (2) occupation (healthcare workers/nurses); (3) cleaning and disinfection; and (4) exposure. Three databases were searched: Embase, PubMed, and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) database.

Surveillance of Mpox Cases Attending Sexual Health Services in England (SOMASS): design, implementation and initial findings from the SOMASS data collection tool, 2022.

Objectives: We aimed to design and implement a data collection tool to support the 2022 mpox (monkeypox) outbreak, and to describe clinical and epidemiological data from individuals with mpox attending sexual health services (SHSs) in England.

Methods: The UK Health Security Agency and the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV established the Surveillance of Mpox Cases Attending Sexual Health Services in England (SOMASS) system.Descriptive data were collected via a secure web-based data collection tool, completed by SHS clinicians following consultation with individuals with suspected mpox.

HTLV seroprevalence in people using HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis in England.

Objectives: HTLV-1 is predominantly a sexually-transmitted infection but testing is not mentioned in HIV-PrEP guidelines. We ascertained HTLV-1/HTLV-2 seroprevalence amongst HIV-PrEP users in England.

Methods: An unlinked anonymous seroprevalence study.

Novel use of oral chloramphenicol for treatment-resistant .

We describe the novel use of oral chloramphenicol for treatment-resistant ) infection in a 20-year-old heterosexual cisgender male presenting with recurrent symptomatic non-gonococcal urethritis. urethritis is an increasingly common clinical conundrum in sexual health clinics and in cases of second-line treatment failure (such as moxifloxacin), UK and international guidelines struggle to make recommendations for third-line treatments. As shown in our case, the evidence base for third-line treatments is lacking, with poor success rates, and may be poorly tolerated.

Health and Safety Regulations for COVID-19: A Policy Analysis.

The COVID-19 pandemic spurred some regulators in the USA to require occupational health and safety programs to prevent COVID-19 transmission in workplaces. The objective of this study was to describe such state and federal regulations enacted between January 2020 and January 2022. Regulations, including emergency temporary standards (ETS) and permanent standards, were identified through a search of Nexis Uni and Bloomberg Law and review of US OSHA websites and the Federal Register.