Protective role of SARS-CoV-2 anti-S IgG against breakthrough infections among European healthcare workers during pre and post-Omicron surge-ORCHESTRA project.

Purpose: Anti SARS-CoV-2 vaccination initially showed high effectiveness in preventing COVID-19. However, after the surge of variants of concern, the effectiveness dropped. Several studies investigated if this was related to the decrease of the humoral response over time; however, this issue is still unclear.

SARS-CoV-2 Breakthrough Infections: Incidence and Risk Factors in a Large European Multicentric Cohort of Health Workers.

Background: The research aimed to investigate the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infections and their determinants in a large European cohort of more than 60,000 health workers.

Methods: A multicentric retrospective cohort study, involving 12 European centers, was carried out within the ORCHESTRA project, collecting data up to 18 November 2021 on fully vaccinated health workers. The cumulative incidence of SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infections was investigated with its association with occupational and social-demographic characteristics (age, sex, job title, previous SARS-CoV-2 infection, antibody titer levels, and time from the vaccination course completion).

Anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 adenoviral-vector vaccines trigger subclinical antiplatelet autoimmunity and increase of soluble platelet activation markers.

To slow down the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic an unequalled vaccination campaign was initiated. Despite proven efficacy and safety, a rare but potentially fatal complication of adenoviral-vector vaccines, called vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT), has emerged the pathogenesis of which seems to be related to the development of platelet-activating anti-platelet factor 4 (PF4) antibodies. While a few studies have evaluated the incidence of anti-PF4 positivity in anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccine recipients, to date no studies have assessed whether an antiplatelet immunological response develops and if this associates with platelet and blood clotting activation.

[Effects of inorganic lead exposure on the autonomic nervous system and on the variability of heart rate among workers at a battery plant].

Inorganic Lead can cause a toxic effect on Central Nervous System, Peripheral Nervous System and Autonomic Nervous System (ANS). A damage of the ANS can determine an heart rate variability (HRV) reduction. In this study 43 battery workers exposed to inorganic lead with mean PbB = 31.

Blood cadmium concentrations in the general population of Umbria, central Italy.

The aims of this study were (a) to assess blood cadmium (B-Cd) concentrations and to establish a tentative reference interval; (b) to identify significant determinants of B-Cd, in a population from Umbria, Central Italy, which was not occupationally exposed to cadmium (Cd). Four hundred and thirty-four healthy blood-donors volunteered to answer a questionnaire and provide a blood sample for B-Cd analysis, which was performed by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Blood Cd concentrations ranged from non-detectable values, i.