Comparison of morbidity and absenteeism due to COVID-19 and seasonal influenza in a large cohort of healthcare personnel in the 2022-2023 season.

AIM: To compare the morbidity and work absenteeism associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and influenza among healthcare personnel (HCP) in 2022-2023. METHODS: We followed 5752 hospital-based HCP in Greece from November 14, 2022 through May 28, 2023. Symptomatic HCP were tested for SARS-CoV-2 and influenza by real-time PCR and/or rapid antigen detection test. The association between the duration of absenteeism and the type of disease was estimated by multivariable regression models. RESULTS: A total of 734 COVID-19 cases and 93 influenza cases were studied. The mean duration of absence per COVID-19 case was 5.8 days compared with a mean of absence of 3.6 days per influenza case (p-value <0.001). Overall, COVID-19 accounted for 4245 days missed during the study period compared with 333 days missed due to influenza. Multivariable regressions estimates indicated that HCP with COVID-19 had 1.91 more days of absenteeism [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.67 to 2.15] compared to those with influenza, on average. CONCLUSIONS: As SARS-CoV-2 becomes endemic, COVID-19 remains the prevalent cause of morbidity and absenteeism among HCP, accounting for considerably more workdays missed compared with influenza. HCP should be up-to-date with COVID-19 booster vaccinations and annual influenza vaccination in order to protect them as well as healthcare systems from HCP absenteeism.

Effectiveness of COVID-19 booster vaccination, morbidity and absenteeism among healthcare personnel during the 2022-2023 season dominated by Omicron BA.5 and BA.2 subvariants.

AIM: We assessed the vaccination effectiveness (VE) of a COVID-19 booster vaccine dose and the association between morbidity and absenteeism with COVID-19 booster vaccine receipt among healthcare personnel (HCP) in 2022-2023 in Greece. METHODS: We followed 5752 HCP from November 14, 2022 through May 28, 2023 for episodes of absenteeism. Absenteeism for non-infectious causes, pregnancy leave, or annual leave was not recorded. Full vaccination was defined as a primary vaccination series plus one booster dose within the past six months. Multivariable regression models were used to estimate the association of full COVID-19 vaccination with the outcomes of interest. RESULTS: A total of 1029 episodes of absenteeism occurred during the study period (17.9 episodes per 100 HCP). The mean duration of absence per episode was 5.2 days, and the total duration of absence was 5237 days. COVID-19 was diagnosed in 736 (12.8 %) HCP, asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection in 62 (1.1 %) HCP, and influenza in 95 (1.7 %) HCP. Overall, COVID-19, influenza, and asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection accounted for 71.5 %, 9.2 %, and 6.0 % of episodes of absenteeism, respectively. Multivariable regression models indicated that fully vaccinated HCP were absent from work for shorter periods [adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 0.42; 95 % confidence interval (CI): 0.21-0.83], were less likely to develop COVID-19 [aOR: 0.37; 95 % CI: 0.17-0.81)], and were more likely to develop an asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection (aOR: 5.90; 95 % CI: 1.27-27.45). The adjusted full VE against COVID-19 was 62.8 % (95 % CI: 18.6 %-83.0 %). CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 remains a significant cause of morbidity and absenteeism among HCP. Full COVID-19 vaccination status conferred significant protection against COVID-19 and was associated with shorter periods of absence from work.

Lung function at three months after hospitalization due to COVID­19 pneumonia: Comparison of alpha, delta and omicron variant predominance periods.

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has already affected millions of individuals, with increasing numbers of survivors. These data suggest that the pulmonary sequelae of the infection may have an effect on a wide range of individuals. The aim of the present study was to evaluate pulmonary function in patients hospitalized due to COVID-19 three months after hospital discharge. A total of 116 patients, 34 females and 82 males, with a mean age of 57.77±11.45 years, who were hospitalized due to COVID-19, underwent pulmonary function testing three months after their hospital discharge. Of these, 83 (71.6%) patients were hospitalized in the period of alpha variant predominance, 16 (13.8%) in the period of delta variant predominance and 17 (14.6%) in the omicron variant predominance period. The mean value of diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO)% predicted (pred) was statistically higher in patients affected by the omicron variant (P=0.028). Abnormal values (<80% pred) of DLCO and total lung capacity (TLC) were observed in 28.4 and 20.7% of the patients, respectively. Active smoking was an independent predictor of abnormal values of forced expiratory volume in 1 sec % pred and TLC% pred [P=0.038; odds ratio (OR): 8.574, confidence interval (CI) 1.124-65.424 and P=0.004, OR: 14.733, CI 2.323-93.429, respectively], age was an independent predictor of abnormal values of forced vital capacity % pred and DLCO% pred (P=0.027, OR: 1.124, CI 1.014-1.246 and P=0.011, OR:1.054, CI 1.012-1.098, respectively); and female sex was an independent predictor of abnormal values of DLCO% pred (P=0.009, OR: 1.124, CI 1.014-1.246). Α significant percentage of hospitalized patients due to COVID-19 pneumonia will develop abnormal pulmonary function, regardless of the SARS-CoV-2 variant.

Early 3­day course of remdesivir for the prevention of the progression to severe COVID­19 in the elderly: A single­centre, real­life cohort study.

Remdesivir, a viral RNA polymerase inhibitor, has constituted a key component of therapeutic regimens against the pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Originally approved for administration in hospitalized patients, remdesivir leads to improved outcomes in patients with moderate to severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). After proving to be effective in hospitalized patients, its use gained approval in early-stage disease for symptomatic outpatients who are at a high risk of progression to severe disease. The present study is a real-life prospective cohort study involving 143 elderly non-hospitalized patients with SARS-CoV-2 (≥65 years of age) who attended the emergency department of the authors' hospital seeking care for COVID-19 symptoms appearing within the prior 7 days. Eligible patients received intravenous remdesivir at a dose of 200 mg on the first day and 100 mg on days 2 and 3. The efficacy endpoints were set as the need for COVID-19-related hospitalization and all-cause mortality in the following 28 days. A total of 143 patients participated in the study. Of these patients, 118 (82.5%) patients were vaccinated with at least two doses. All patients enrolled completed the 3-day course, with a total of 6 out of 143 patients (4.2%) having a COVID-19-related hospitalization by day 28, and 5 patients (3.5%) succumbing to the disease within the study period. In the univariate Cox regression analysis, the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and haematological malignancy were identified as predictors of progression to severe disease, and albumin levels, the C-reactive protein-to-albumin ratio (CAR) and haematological malignancy were identified as predictors of 28-day mortality. On the whole, the findings of the present study demonstrated that among the elderly outpatients, a 3-day course of intravenous remdesivir was associated with favourable outcomes.

Bone Marrow Iron Stores Are Not Associated with Increased Risk for Invasive Fungal Infections in Patients with Newly Diagnosed Acute Leukemia or Myelodysplastic Syndrome in Transformation: Is There a Relationship?

Iron plays an important role in the pathogenesis of infections, including invasive fungal infections (IFIs). Studies suggested that iron overload might represent an additional risk factor for IFIs among patients with hematological malignancies. We conducted a prospective, multi-center study amongst adult patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) in transformation to determine whether baseline iron overload as measured using the bone marrow iron store (BMIS) score is an independent risk factor for the development of IFIs. We also measured baseline serum iron and ferritin levels. A total of 98 patients were enrolled (76 with AML) and were followed for 12 months. Twenty-two patients developed IFI during the follow-up period (invasive aspergillosis n = 16, candidemia n = 5, mucormycosis n = 1). A baseline BMIS score ≥ 3 indicated that iron overload was relatively common (38/98 patients, 38%), and its frequency was comparable between patients with no IFIs (31/76, 40.7%) and in those with IFIs (8/22, 36.4%). Univariate analysis showed that only the presence of AML was associated with increased risk for IFIs [OR (95% CI) 7.40 (1.05-325.42)]. Both univariate and multivariate analyses showed that an increased BMIS score (≥3) at baseline was not an independent risk factor for IFIs. Similarly, there was no difference in serum iron and ferritin between the two groups that had similar demographic characteristics. Indices of iron overload were not independent risk factors for IFIs in our cohort of Greek patients with newly diagnosed AML/MDS in transformation.

Effectiveness of Oral Nirmatrelvir/Ritonavir vs. Intravenous Three-Day Remdesivir in Preventing Progression to Severe COVID-19: A Single-Center, Prospective, Comparative, Real-Life Study.

BACKGROUND: Nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (NMV/r) and three-day course remdesivir (3RDV) have been approved as early treatments for COVID-19 outpatients not requiring supplemental oxygen. Real-life data on the efficacy of antivirals among immunocompromised patients or directly comparing their effectiveness in preventing hospitalization and/or death are scarce. METHODS: Prospective, observational study conducted in a tertiary care hospital, from 1 January 2022 until 15 March 2023, during the prevalence of the Omicron variant. Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) was used to account for differences between treatment groups. RESULTS: We included 521, mainly immunocompromised (56%), patients in our analysis; 356 (68.3%) received 3RDV and 165 (31.7%) NMV/r. Overall, 15/521 (2.9%) patients met the primary end-point of hospitalization at 30 days (3RDV arm: 10/356, 2.8% vs. NMV/r arm: 5/165, 3%, p = 1). On IPTW-adjusted univariable analysis, the choice of treatment did not affect outcomes. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, we found that one (OR 0.26, 95%CI 0.07-0.99, p = 0.049) or two (OR 0.06, 95%CI 0.01-0.55, p = 0.014) vaccine booster shots reduced the risk for adverse outcomes. CONCLUSION: In our patient population of high-risk, mainly immunocompromised, vaccinated patients during the prevalence of the Omicron variant, NMV/r and 3RDV were equally effective early treatments for the prevention of hospitalization and/or death.

Effectiveness of a Self-Decontaminating Coating Containing Usnic Acid in Reducing Environmental Microbial Load in Tertiary-Care Hospitals.

Surfaces have been implicated in the transmission of pathogens in hospitals. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of an usnic-acid-containing self-decontaminating coating in reducing microbial surface contamination in tertiary-care hospitals. Samples were collected from surfaces 9 days before coating application, and 3, 10, and 21 days after its application (phases 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively). Samples were tested for bacteria, fungi, and SARS-CoV2. In phase 1, 53/69 (76.8%) samples tested positive for bacteria, 9/69 (13.0%) for fungi, and 10/139 (7.2%) for SARS-CoV-2. In phase 2, 4/69 (5.8%) samples tested positive for bacteria, while 69 and 139 samples were negative for fungi and SARS-CoV-2, respectively. In phase 3, 3/69 (4.3%) samples were positive for bacteria, 1/139 (0.7%) samples tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, while 69 samples were negative for fungi. In phase 4, 1/69 (1.4%) tested positive for bacteria, while no fungus or SARS-CoV-2 were detected. After the coating was applied, the bacterial load was reduced by 87% in phase 2 (RR = 0.132; 95% CI: 0.108-0.162); 99% in phase 3 (RR = 0.006; 95% CI: 0.003-0.015); and 100% in phase 4 (RR = 0.001; 95% CI: 0.000-0.009). These data indicate that the usnic-acid-containing coating was effective in eliminating bacterial, fungal, and SARS-CoV-2 contamination on surfaces in hospitals.Our findings support the benefit ofan usnic-acid-containing coating in reducing the microbial load on healthcare surfaces.

Effectiveness of full (booster) COVID-19 vaccination against severe outcomes and work absenteeism in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 during the Delta and Omicron waves in Greece.

AIM: We estimated vaccine effectiveness (VE) of full (booster) vaccination against severe outcomes in hospitalized COVID-19 patients during the Delta and Omicron waves. METHODS: The study extended from November 15, 2021 to April 17, 2022. Full vaccination was defined as a primary vaccination plus a booster ≥ 6 months later. RESULTS: We studied 1138 patients (mean age: 66.6 years), of whom 826 (72.6 %) had ≥ 1 comorbidity. Of the 1138 patients, 75 (6.6 %) were admitted to intensive care unit (ICU), 64 (5.6 %) received mechanical ventilation, and 172 (15.1 %) died. There were 386 (33.9 %) fully vaccinated, 172 (15.1 %) partially vaccinated, and 580 (51 %) unvaccinated patients. Unvaccinated patients were absent from work for longer periods compared to partially or fully vaccinated patients (mean absence of 20.1 days versus 12.3 and 17.3 days, respectively; p-value = 0.03). Compared to unvaccinated patients, fully vaccinated patients were less likely to be admitted to ICU [adjusted relative risk (ARR: 0.49; 95 % CI: 0.29-0.84)], mechanically ventilated (ARR: 0.43; 95 % CI: 0.23-0.80), and die (ARR: 0.57; 95 % CI: 0.42-0.78), while they were hospitalized for significantly shorter periods (ARR: 0.79; 95 % CI: 0.70-0.89). The adjusted full VE was 48.8 % (95 % CI: 42.7 %-54.9 %) against ICU admission, 55.4 % (95 % CI: 52.0 %-56.2 %) against mechanical ventilation, and 22.6 % (95 % CI: 7.4 %-34.8 %) against death. For patients with ≥ 3 comorbidities, VE was 56.2 % (95 % CI: 43.9 %-67.1 %) against ICU admission, 60.2 % (95 % CI: 53.7 %-65.4 %) against mechanical ventilation, and 43.9 % (95 % CI: 19.9 %-59.7 %) against death. CONCLUSIONS: Full (booster) COVID-19 vaccination conferred protection against severe outcomes, prolonged hospitalization, and prolonged work absenteeism.

The Use of Low-Dose Chest Computed Tomography for the Diagnosis and Monitoring of Pulmonary Infections in Patients with Hematologic Malignancies.

The study aimed to assess the image quality and diagnostic performance of low-dose Chest Computed Tomography (LDCCT) in detecting pulmonary infections in patients with hematologic malignancies. A total of 164 neutropenic patients underwent 256 consecutive CT examinations, comparing 149 LDCCT and 107 Standard-Dose Chest CT (SDCCT) between May 2015 and June 2019. LDCCT demonstrated a 47% reduction in radiation dose while maintaining acceptable image noise and quality compared to SDCCT. However, LDCCT exhibited lower sensitivity in detecting consolidation (27.5%) and ground glass opacity (64.4%) compared to SDCCT (45.8% and 82.2%, respectively) with all the respective p-values from unadjusted and adjusted for sex, age, and BMI analyses being lower than 0.006 and the corresponding Odds Ratios of detection ranging from 0.30 to 0.34. Similar trends were observed for nodules ≥3 mm and ground glass halo in nodules but were not affected by sex, age and BMI. No significant differences were found for cavitation in nodules, diffuse interlobular septal thickening, pleural effusion, pericardial effusion, and lymphadenopathy. In conclusion, LDCCT achieved substantial dose reduction with satisfactory image quality but showed limitations in detecting specific radiologic findings associated with pulmonary infections in neutropenic patients compared to SDCCT.

Association between COVID-19 vaccination status, time elapsed since the last vaccine dose, morbidity, and absenteeism among healthcare personnel: A prospective, multicenter study.

AIM: We assessed the impact of COVID-19 vaccination status and time elapsed since the last vaccine dose on morbidity and absenteeism among healthcare personnel (HCP) in the context of a mandatory vaccination policy. METHODS: We followed 7592 HCP from November 15, 2021 through April 17, 2022. Full COVID-19 vaccination was defined as a primary vaccination series plus a booster dose at least six months later. RESULTS: There were 6496 (85.6 %) fully vaccinated, 953 (12.5 %) not fully vaccinated, and 143 (1.9 %) unvaccinated HCP. A total of 2182 absenteeism episodes occurred. Of 2088 absenteeism episodes among vaccinated HCP with known vaccination status, 1971 (94.4 %) concerned fully vaccinated and 117 (5.6 %) not fully vaccinated. Fully vaccinated HCP had 1.6 fewer days of absence compared to those not fully vaccinated (8.1 versus 9.7; p-value < 0.001). Multivariable regression analyses showed that full vaccination was associated with shorter absenteeism compared to not full vaccination (OR: 0.56; 95 % CI: 0.36-0.87; p-value = 0.01). Compared to a history of ≤ 17.1 weeks since the last dose, a history of > 17.1 weeks since the last dose was associated with longer absenteeism (OR: 1.22, 95 % CI:1.02-1.46; p-value = 0.026) and increased risk for febrile episode (OR: 1.33; 95 % CI: 1.09-1.63; p-value = 0.004), influenza-like illness (OR: 1.53, 95 % CI: 1.02-2.30; p-value = 0.038), and COVID-19 (OR: 1.72; 95 % CI: 1.24-2.39; p-value = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic continues to impose a considerable impact on HCP. The administration of a vaccine dose in less than four months before significantly protected against COVID-19 and absenteeism duration, irrespective of COVID-19 vaccination status. Defining the optimal timing of boosters is imperative.

Osteoarticular Mycoses.

Osteoarticular mycoses are chronic debilitating infections that require extended courses of antifungal therapy and may warrant expert surgical intervention. As there has been no comprehensive review of these diseases, the International Consortium for Osteoarticular Mycoses prepared a definitive treatise for this important class of infections. Among the etiologies of osteoarticular mycoses are Candida spp., Aspergillus spp., Mucorales, dematiaceous fungi, non-Aspergillus hyaline molds, and endemic mycoses, including those caused by Histoplasma capsulatum, Blastomyces dermatitidis, and Coccidioides species. This review analyzes the history, epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, diagnostic approaches, inflammatory biomarkers, diagnostic imaging modalities, treatments, and outcomes of osteomyelitis and septic arthritis caused by these organisms. Candida osteomyelitis and Candida arthritis are associated with greater events of hematogenous dissemination than those of most other osteoarticular mycoses. Traumatic inoculation is more commonly associated with osteoarticular mycoses caused by Aspergillus and non-Aspergillus molds. Synovial fluid cultures are highly sensitive in the detection of Candida and Aspergillus arthritis. Relapsed infection, particularly in Candida arthritis, may develop in relation to an inadequate duration of therapy. Overall mortality reflects survival from disseminated infection and underlying host factors.

Vaccination coverage rates and attitudes towards mandatory vaccinations among healthcare personnel in tertiary-care hospitals in Greece.

OBJECTIVES: Our aim was to estimate vaccination and susceptibility rates against vaccine-preventable diseases among healthcare personnel (HCP) in eight hospitals. METHODS: Cross-sectional survey. RESULTS: A total of 1284 HCP participated (physicians: 31.3%, nursing personnel: 36.6%, paramedical personnel: 11.1%, administrative personnel: 13.2%, supportive personnel: 7.3%). Vaccination rates were 32.9% against measles and mumps, 38.1% against rubella, 5.7% against varicella, 9.2% against hepatitis A, 65.8% against hepatitis B, 31.8% against tetanus-diphtheria, 7.1% against pertussis, 60.2% against influenza, and 80.1% against COVID-19. Susceptibility rates were as follows: 27.8% for measles, 39.6% for mumps, 33.4% for rubella, 22.2% for varicella, 86.3% for hepatitis A, 34.2% for hepatitis B, 68.2% for tetanus-diphtheria, and 92.9% for pertussis. Older HCP had higher susceptibility rates against mumps, rubella, varicella, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, tetanus-diphtheria, and pertussis (p-values <0.001 for all). Mandatory vaccinations were supported by 81.85% of HCP. CONCLUSIONS: Although most HCPs supported mandatory vaccinations, significant vaccination gaps, and susceptibility rates were recorded. The proportion of susceptible HCP to measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella has increased in the past decade, mostly because of reduction in acquired cases of natural illness. Vaccination programs for HCP should be developed. A national registry to follow HCP's vaccination rates is urgently needed.

Role of diabetes mellitus in the clinical course and outcome of SARS-CoV-2 infected patients.

PURPOSE: Our aim was to study patients with diabetes mellitus and SARS-CoV-2-infection diagnosed during the first pandemic wave in Greece. METHODS: Cases were retrieved from the national database of SARS-CoV-2 infections. RESULTS: We studied 2624 SARS-CoV-2 infected cases, including 157 with diabetes. Patients with diabetes more often had other comorbidities (68.8 vs. 24.1%; p-value < 0.001). Among patients with diabetes, 149 (94.9%) developed symptomatic disease (COVID-19) compared to 1817 patients (73.7%) without diabetes (p-value < 0.001). A total of 126 patients with diabetes and COVID-19 were hospitalized and 41 died (27.5% case-fatality rate compared to 7.5% among patients without diabetes; p-value < 0.001). Patients with diabetes more often were hospitalized, developed complications, were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU), received invasive mechanical ventilation, and died compared to patients without diabetes (p-values < 0.001 to 0.002 for all comparisons). Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that diabetes, having other comorbidities, and older age were significantly associated with higher risk for hospitalization, ICU admission, invasive mechanical ventilation, and death, and that obesity was significantly associated with higher risk for hospitalization, ICU admission, and mechanical intubation, while female gender protected against these outcomes. CONCLUSION: COVID-19 is associated with increased rates of serious morbidity and adverse outcome in patients with diabetes and represents a severe illness for them.

A study of the evolution of the third COVID-19 pandemic wave in the Athens metropolitan area, Greece, through two cross-sectional seroepidemiological surveys: March, June 2021.

We studied the third coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic wave in Athens metropolitan area (3 738 901 inhabitants) through two seroepidemiological surveys. Persons presenting in 12 healthcare facilities across Athens in March and June 2021 were studied (764 and 901, respectively). Immunoglobulin G antibodies against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike protein were measured by a chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay. In March the seroprevalence rate was 11.6%, meaning that 435 208 residents of Athens had evidence of immunity. The respective values in June were 55.7% and 2 082 568 residents. The highest seroprevalence rates attributed to SARS-CoV-2 infection were recorded in persons <18 years (16.3% in March and 31.6% in June), while immunity was mainly vaccine-induced in persons 18-64 years and >65 years. Infection-attributed immunity also increased in older-age groups. Wide ranges in seroprevalence rates were noted across areas in March and June. The highest seroprevalence rates were recorded in Piraeus (47.2%) and West Attica (37.5%). However, the highest increase (>5 times) occurred in Piraeus and the South Section of Athens, which are among the most densely populated areas in Athens. In both study periods, history of COVID-19 or febrile episode, and having a cohabitant with COVID-19 were associated with increased risk for seropositivity among unvaccinated persons (p values <0.001 for all). Residing in Piraeus, the South Section or West Attica was associated with increased risk for seropositivity in June (p values <0.001). Wide heterogeneity in seroprevalence rates was found across areas in Athens, which is mainly attributed to population density. The impact of population mobility and socioeconomic status should be explored.

COVID-19 vaccination significantly reduces morbidity and absenteeism among healthcare personnel: A prospective multicenter study.

AIM: Healthcare personnel (HCP) are prioritized for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination to protect them and non-disruptive provision of healthcare services. We assessed the impact of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine on morbidity and absenteeism among HCP. METHODS: We studied 7445 HCP in five tertiary-care hospitals in Greece from November 15, 2020 through April 18, 2021. RESULTS: A total of 910 episodes of absenteeism and 9695 days of absence were recorded during the entire study period. Starting from January 4, 2021, 4823/7445 HCP (64.8%) were fully or partially vaccinated. Overall, 535 episodes of absenteeism occurred from January 4, 2021 through April 18, 2021, including 309 (57.76%) episodes among 2622 unvaccinated HCP and 226 (42.24%) episodes among 4823 vaccinated HCP (11.8 versus 4.7 episodes of absenteeism per 100 HCP, respectively; p-value < 0.001). The mean duration of absenteeism was 11.9 days among unvaccinated HCP compared with 6.9 days among vaccinated HCP (p-value < 0.001). Unvaccinated HCP more frequently developed acute respiratory infection, influenza-like illness, and COVID-19 (p-values < 0.001 for all comparisons). Vaccine effectiveness for fully vaccinated HCP was estimated at 94.16% [confidence interval (CI): 88.50%-98.05%) against COVID-19, 83.62% (CI: 73.36%-90.38%) against SARS-CoV-2 infection (asymptomatic or COVID-19), and 66.42% (CI: 56.86%-74.15%) against absenteeism. CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 pandemic had a considerable impact on healthcare workforce. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine significantly reduced morbidity, COVID-19, absenteeism and duration of absenteeism among HCP during a period of high SARS-CoV-2 circulation in the community. It is expected that HCP vaccination will protect them and healthcare services and contain healthcare costs.

Determinants of intention to get vaccinated against COVID-19 among healthcare personnel in hospitals in Greece.

BACKGROUND: To investigate intention rates to get vaccinated against COVID-19 among healthcare personnel (HCP) in Greece. METHODS: Cross-sectional survey. RESULTS: The response rate was 14.5%. Of 1521 HCP with a known profession, 607 (39.9%) were nursing personnel, 480 (31.6%) physicians, 171 (11.2%) paramedical personnel, 72 (4.7%) supportive personnel, and 191 (12.6%) administrative personnel. Overall, 803 of 1571 HCP (51.1%) stated their intention to get vaccinated while 768 (48.9%) stated their intention to decline vaccination. Most HCP (71.3%) who reported intent to get vaccinated noted contributing to the control of the pandemic and protecting their families and themselves as their reasons, while the most common reason for reporting intent to decline vaccination was inadequate information about the vaccines (74.9%), followed by concerns about vaccine safety (36.2%). Logistic regression analysis revealed that the probability of intending to get vaccinated increased with male gender, being a physician, history of complete vaccination against hepatitis B, history of vaccination against pandemic A (H1N1) in 2009-2010, belief that COVID-19 vaccination should be mandatory for HCP, and increased confidence in vaccines in general during the COVID-19 pandemic. The following factors were associated with a lower intention to get vaccinated: no vaccination against influenza the past season, no intention to get vaccinated against influenza in 2020-2021, and no intention to recommend COVID-19 vaccination to high-risk patients. CONCLUSION: There is an urgent need to built safety perception towards COVID-19 vaccines and raise vaccine uptake rates by HCP, and thus to protect the healthcare workforce and the healthcare services.

Detection of Subclinical Coronary Artery Lesions by Framingham Risk Score, Peripheral Artery Atheromatosis and Coronary Artery Calcium Score: A Pilot Study in Asymptomatic Individuals Living with HIV.

The incidence of acute coronary events is increased among people living with HIV (PLWH), but there is no risk estimation score, nor a surrogate biomarker able to predict subclinical coronary artery disease (sCAD). We assessed the performance of: (i) Framingham risk score (FRMs), (ii) peripheral (carotid and femoral) artery atheromatosis, and (iii) coronary artery calcium (CACs) score, to detect the presence of sCAD, in PLWH. In a cohort of PLWH free of cardiovascular disease (CVD), we measured sCAD and CACs by computed tomography, calculated FRMs, and assessed carotid/femoral plaques by ultrasound. In 56 participants (age: 49 ± 10 years, men: 88%, FRMs: 7.2 ± 6.9; mean number of carotid/femoral plaques: 1.4 ± 1.5; CACs >0 present in 59%, median CACs 0.9 [IQR 0-22]): (i) minimal sCAD (stenosis 1%-24%; present in 30%) and mild sCAD (25%-49%, 25%) were effectively detected by FRMs, number of plaques, and CACs [area under the curve (AUC) of CACs was better than that of both FRM and plaques, p < .05]; (ii) moderate sCAD (stenosis 50%-69%; present in 8.9%) was detected by number of plaques and CACs, but similar AUC (0.969 vs. 0.867, respectively, p = NS); and (iii) severe sCAD (70%-99%, present in only 3 [5.4%]) was detected only by CACs. A high prevalence of sCAD in asymptomatic PLWH free of CVD was detected; CACs is a highly efficient biomarker to detect all grades of sCAD, however, the number of carotid/femoral plaques combined is also a very promising-lower cost and radiation free-surrogate biomarker. Future, larger studies are needed to verify these results.

A clinical audit of pneumococcal vaccination among patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases living in Greece: The power of awareness.

INTRODUCTION: Patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases (ARDs) are at increased risk for pneumococcal infections and should be vaccinated against Streptococcus pneumoniae. Data on the rates of pneumococcal vaccination among patients with ARDs in Southern Europe are scarce. Here, we estimate the pneumococcal vaccination rate in patients living in Greece with ARDs, explore the patients' awareness regarding vaccination, and try to recognize factors that influence the vaccine uptake. METHODS: Between October 2015 and September 2016, a structured questionnaire was provided to all consecutive patients with ARDs attending one outpatient clinic of our department. The survey included parameters concerning patients' demographics, underlying ARD and immunosuppressive medications, other comorbidities, vaccine type, knowledge about infection risk and necessity of vaccination. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to study any association of these factors with the vaccination uptake. RESULTS: Overall, 395 patients with ARDs (30.13% aged >65 years and 78.99% female) participated in our survey. The most frequent ARD was rheumatoid arthritis (43.04%); 40.51% of patients were receiving biologic agents and 44.56% steroids. Pneumococcal vaccination rate was 49.37%, while 45.06% of patients have been vaccinated during the last five years and only 8.21% of them had a second pneumococcal vaccine, as per national guidelines. The decision of vaccination was significantly influenced by the patient's age (>65 years) (p < 0.001) and the complete awareness of reasons for being vaccinated (p < 0.001), but not by presence of comorbidities, the type of ARD or administration of a biologic agent. The main reason for no vaccination was that it was not suggested by the caring physician (82.50%). CONCLUSIONS: In our cohort of patients with ARDs the pneumococcal vaccination was suboptimal. Better understanding of the significance of vaccination by the patient and suggestion for vaccination by the caring physician will improve vaccination uptake and optimize the clinical benefits among patients with ARDs.

Impact of a non-compulsory antifungal stewardship program on overuse and misuse of antifungal agents in a tertiary care hospital.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the impact of an antifungal stewardship (AFS) program on appropriate use, consumption and acquisition costs of antifungals, and on clinical outcomes (in-hospital-mortality, in-hospital-length-of-stay). METHODS: The study was conducted at a 535-bed tertiary-care hospital and had three consecutive periods. A) Observational period (10 months): all antifungal prescriptions were prospectively evaluated. B) Educational intervention to increase the awareness on proper antifungals use. C) Implementation of a non-compulsory AFS program (10 months) based on prospective audit and feedback. Interrupted time series analysis has been used to assess the impact of the intervention. RESULTS: During the pre-interventional period 198 AF prescriptions for 147 patients, have been evaluated compared to 181 prescriptions in 138 patients during the AFS period. Statistical analysis showed a significant immediate drop of inappropriate prescriptions after intervention with a significantly declining trend thereafter, and a significant drop of the total consumption of antifungals immediately after the intervention with a significant declining trend thereafter. All-cause, in-hospital- mortality was stable during the pre-intervention period with a significant declining trend after the AFS program implementation, although no immediate intervention effect could be established. Comparison of pre-and post-interventional periods showed significant reduction in acquisition costs (-26.8%, p<0.001) but no difference regarding the total number of bed-days (107,654 vs. 102,382), and mean length of hospital-stay (5.19 vs. 4.96 days, p=NS). CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of a non-compulsory AFS program resulted in significant improvement in the quality of prescriptions and reduction in antifungals consumption and acquisitions costs, without affecting the overall in-hospital-mortality and mean in-hospital-length-of-stay.

Management of osteoarticular fungal infections in the setting of immunodeficiency.

Introduction: Osteoarticular fungal infections (OAFIs) complicate the clinical course of high-risk patients, including immunosuppressed individuals. Their management, however, despite being intricate, is governed by evidence arising from sub-optimal quality research, such as case series. Guidelines are scarce and when present result in recommendations based on low quality evidence. Furthermore, the differences between the management of immunocompromised and immunocompetent patients are not distinct. This is a narrative review after a literature search in PubMed, up to November 2019.Areas covered: The major fungal groups causing osteomyelitis and/or arthritis are Candida spp., Aspergillus spp., non-Aspergillus filamentous fungi, non-Candida yeasts and endemic dimorphic fungi. Their epidemiology is briefly analyzed with emphasis on immunodeficiency and other risk factors. Management of OAFIs includes appropriate antifungal drug therapy (liposomal amphotericin B, triazoles or echinocandins), local surgery and immunotherapy for primary immunodeficiencies. Cessation of immunosuppressive drugs is also mandated.Expert opinion: Management of OAFIs includes affordable and available options and approaches. However, research on therapeutic practices is urgently required to be further improved, due to the rarity of affected patients. Evolution is expected to translate into novel antifungal drugs, less invasive and precise surgical approaches and targeted enhancement of immunoregulatory pathways in defense of challenging fungal pathogens.